Herman Doomer or Hermann Dommers (1595 – 14 March 1650) was a Dutch Golden Age furniture and frame-maker who is best known today for his portrait by Rembrandt.[1]

Herman Doomer
Herman Doomer by Rembrandt (1640) in Metropolitan Museum of Art
Born1595
Died1650
NationalityDutch

Life

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He was born in Anrath, near Venlo, and married Baertje Martens from Naarden in 1618. He ran a successful business in ebony-veneer furniture and frames in the Kalverstraat, Gasthuismolensteeg and Hartenstraat.[2][3][4] By 1625 Doomer already played a prominent role within the group of Amsterdam ebony workers.[5] At times he collaborated with Pieter Quast and Johannes Lutma. From 1641 he used colored baleen.[6]

He was very inventive in his use of material, for example, baleen or whalebone, which was pressed in a metal mould. He also used different types of tropical wood, which he decorated with images or fine marquetry of mother-of-pearl and ivory.[7]

Doomer was buried at Nieuwezijds Kapel as his widow (1596-1678).

His son Lambert Doomer, a landscape painter, assisted the mother in the business.[8] He inherited both portraits and made copies for his siblings.[9]

Pendant portrait

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Furniture

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References

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  1. ^ Dutch Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Band 1 by Walter A. Liedtke, Metropolitan Museum of Art, p.604-612
  2. ^ I.H. van Eeghen, 'Baertjen Martens en Herman Doomer', Maandblad Amstelodamum 43 (1956), p. 133-137
  3. ^ Baarsen, Reinier (1996). "Herman Doomer, Ebony Worker in Amsterdam". The Burlington Magazine. 138 (1124): 739–749. ISSN 0007-6287.
  4. ^ "Herman Doomer". Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  5. ^ "A rare cupboard attributed to Herman Doomer". www.phoogendijk.com. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  6. ^ (2010) In: Bulletin van de vereniging rembrandt Jaargang 20 n0 1, p. 19-22
  7. ^ https://gallerease.com/nl/kunstenaars/herman-doomer__81265b2f7bfd
  8. ^ "RKD Research". research.rkd.nl. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Herman Doomer (1595–1650), Rembrandt's Frame-Maker | Art UK". artuk.org. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
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