Gortzius Geldorp

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Gortzius Geldorp (1553–1618) was a Flemish Renaissance painter best known for his portraits, who worked mainly in Germany. He was born in Leuven and learned painting from Frans Francken I and Frans Pourbus the Elder, both students of Frans Floris.

He became court painter to Carlo d'Aragona Tagliavia, Duke of Terra Nova, and traveled with him. They went to Cologne for peace talks with the Dutch Republic, and Geldorp stayed there as the Duke’s companion. In 1609 he was chosen as a representative of the Cologne painters' guild, and in 1610 he took over Barthel Bruyn the Younger’s seat on Cologne’s city council; he served again in 1613. He died in Cologne at about 65. His son Georg Geldorp worked mainly in England, and another painter, Melchior Geldorp, worked in Cologne and was likely a son or nephew.

Geldorp mainly painted portraits of individuals and groups for the aristocracy and other prominent patrons. He also produced history paintings in a portrait-like style, such as Diana, Susanna, an Evangelist, Esther and Ahasuerus, and two busts of Christ and Mary. One work shows Venus as a semi-nude figure. About 70 works survive, mostly on panel. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam holds nine family portraits by him. His palette was strong and brown-dominated, with his later works showing softer transitions and a blueish tone at the wrists and neck. Some of his paintings were engraved by Crispijn van de Passe.