Isaak van den Blocke
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Izaak van den Blocke or Isaak van den Blocke (1574–1626) was a painter of Flemish descent who spent his active career in Poland. He is known for his decorative paintings in various official buildings and residences in Gdańsk. He also completed commissions for churches and painted facades. He was in 1612 one of the founders of the painters' guild of Gdańsk.[1]
The details about his early life are scarce. Sources identify his place of birth either as Mechelen in the Southern Netherlands or Königsberg (then in Prussia and today Kaliningrad in Russia).[1] His father was Willem van den Blocke, a Flemish sculptor and architect who had trained with Cornelis Floris in Antwerp. His brother Abraham van den Blocke was an architect and sculptor and his brothers Jacob and David were painters.[2]
In 1584 the family moved to Danzig (modern Gdańsk, Poland). Here he likely received training by or worked in the workshop of Paul Vredeman de Vries and his father Hans Vredeman de Vries.[1] He was in 1612 one of the founders of the painters' guild of Gdańsk.[1]
He was the teacher of Laurence Neter.[1]
Van den Blocke died in Danzig around the same time as his father and brother Abraham, likely from an infectious disease.
