Barend Cornelis Koekkoek
Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (Dutch. Barend Cornelis Koekkoek, October 11, 1803, Middelburg - April 5, 1862, Cleve) - Dutch landscape painter, grew up in an artistic environment. His father Johannes Hermanus Kukkuk (1778-1851) was a renowned marine painter from whom he received his early artistic education. His brothers Hermanus Kukkuk (1815-1882) and Marinus Adrianus Kukkuk (1807-1868) were also successful artists, the first as a marine theme and river scene painter, the second as a landscape painter.
Barend Cornelis Kukkuk became known during his lifetime as the "Prince of Landscape Painting" and was by far the most popular landscape painter of his time. He is considered the founder of the Dutch romantic landscape. Barend Cornelis received endless awards and distinctions, and among his customers were King Frederick William IV of Prussia, Russian Tsar Alexander II and King of the Netherlands Willem II.
He focused on winter and summer forest landscapes. Like other romantic artists such as Caspar David Friedrich, Kukkuk painted tiny figures against the backdrop of majestic nature, opposing the insignificance of man to the greatness of creation.
