Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem

Born in Haarlem, he received instruction from his father Pieter Claesz, and from the painters Jan van Goyen, Pieter de Grebber, Jan Baptist Weenix, Jan Wils and Claes Cornelisz Moeyaert. According to Houbraken, Carel de Moor told him that Berchem got his name from two words "Berg hem" for "Save him!", an expression used by his fellows in Van Goyen's workshop whenever his father chased him there with the intent to beat him. No trip or Grand Tour by Berchem was documented by Houbraken though he mentioned another story about the "Berg hem!" nickname which came from Berchem's conscription as a sailor; the man in charge of impressment knew him and sent him ashore with the words "Save him!". According to the RKD he traveled to Italy with Jan Baptist Weenix, whom he called his cousin, in 1642–1645. He was the uncle of Govert van der Leeuw and his brother Pieter. The French Rococo painter Jean-Baptiste Pillement was influenced by his works, as was the Dutch 'Cleves Romanticism' landscape painter, Barend Cornelis Koekkoek. ==Further reading==

File:Berchem - Milkmaids.jpg|Milkmaids and Shepherds with their Flock at the Mouth of a Grotto, a Drover Watering his Cattle beyond, oil on canvas, 1665 File:Berchem - Peasant Couple.jpg|A Peasant Couple by a Tree with Cattle and Sheep, pen and brown ink, brown wash File:A Southern Harbour Scene by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem.jpg|A Southern Harbour Scene, ca. 1657–1659 File:Berchem 65Moor.jpg|A Moor Presenting a Parrot to a Lady, ca. 1655 File:Berchem, Nicolaes ~ Landscape with Herdsmen Gathering Sticks, early 1650s, oil on panel, private collection, New York.jpg|Landscape with Herdsmen Gathering Sticks, early 1650s File:Berchem, Nicolaes Pietersz. - Paul and Barnabas at Lystra - 1650.jpg|Paul and Barnabas at Lystra, 1650 File:Berchem Winter Landscape P71 pl 85 cor.jpg|"Winter Landscape", 1652 (photo by Caldesi & Montecchi, 1857) ==References==