Honthorst, Gerrit van

(born Nov. 4, 1590, Utrecht, Neth.—died April 27, 1656, Utrecht) Dutch painter. During 10 years in Italy (c. 1610–20) he enjoyed the patronage of the nobility and assimilated the Baroque style of Caravaggio. The dramatic effects of artificial light in his early paintings, as in such nocturnal scenes as Supper Party (1620), earned him his nickname. He was court painter at The Hague from 1637 to 1652. Some of Rembrandt's early works were inspired by his use of chiaroscuro. With Hendrik Terbrugghen, he was a leader of the Utrecht school.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica