Gerard Soest
Illustration — Self-portrait, 1660 Gerard Soest (c. 1600 – 11 February 1681), also known as Gerald Soest, was a portrait painter who was active in England during the late 17th century. He is most famous for his portraits of William Shakespeare and Samuel Butler, but painted many members of the English gentry.
Also recorded as Gerard Zoust · Gerard van Soest · Gerard Zoest · Gerard Soeste
Gerard Soest
Gerard Soest · http: kokoelmat.fng.fi/app?si=A+II+1406 · Public domain
- Born
- 1600 · Soest.
- Died
- 1681 · London.
- Nationality
- Netherlands
- Occupation
- painter
- Fields
- portrait
- Languages
- Dutch
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Self-portrait, 1660 Gerard Soest (c. 1600 – 11 February 1681), also known as Gerald Soest, was a portrait painter who was active in England during the late 17th century. He is most famous for his portraits of William Shakespeare and Samuel Butler, but painted many members of the English gentry.
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wikidata · Q539078 · wikipedia · Gerard Soest
In this article
Biography
Biography
Soest was traditionally thought to have come from Soest in Westphalia, but was probably from Soest, Netherlands, being Dutch by birth and training. He seems to have been in England by the late 1640s, and his paintings at this time show the influence of William Dobson. He had a moderately successful career, but was never fashionable and never managed to get commissions from courtiers and royalty. Soest's portrait of Shakespeare was owned by Thomas Wright of Covent Garden in 1725 when it was engraved by John Simon. It was painted by Soest at least 30 years after Shakespeare's death. George Vertue states that it was based on a man who resembled Shakespeare, while the pose and costume suggest the influence of the Chandos portrait. • Illustration — Soest's portrait of Shakespeare
John Riley and William Reader are recorded as having studied under Gerard Soest. The recorded working language is Dutch. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait. Places of work recorded in the authority are England. Work by Gerard Soest is recorded in the collections of Finnish National Gallery, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, Tate, National Galleries Scotland and Art Institute of Chicago.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1600
Gerard Soest born at Soest.
1681
Gerard Soest died at London.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Soest.
Birth place
London.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.This is a remarkable and somehow funny contrast to his contemporary Peter Lely, a painter as well, who was often regarded as coming from Soest, Netherlands, but instead was born in Soest, Germany.
- 2.National Portrait Gallery
- 3.National Portrait Gallery, Searching for Shakespeare, 2006
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The authorities additionally record the headings Gerard Zoust, Gerard van Soest, Gerard Zoest, Gerard Soeste and Geraerd van Soest. His recorded language was Dutch. Formation and teaching. Each of those relationships is stated by the authority record rather than inferred from style.
Identity and origins
Recognition and collections
Work by Gerard Soest is
Finnish National Gallery, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, Tate and National Galleries Scotland
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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