Thomas Van Leent (1807-1882), Hsp

Table oil on panel representing "The storyteller", signed and dated lower right. XIXth century. Size 51.5 x 67.5 cm without frame and 84*69 cm with frame. Thomas van Leent (6 December 1807 Princenhage – 12 February 1882) was a Dutch painter and lithographer. He specialized in candlelight shows. Van Leent attended the Royal School for Useful and Visual Arts in Den Bosch, where he was a classmate of Jan Hendrik van Grootvelt. He learned the trade from Henricus Turks, Antoon van Bedaff, Pieter Barbiers and Dominicus Franciscus du Bois. He focuses primarily on still lifes, genre scenes, and figures, and is often tempted by candlelight depictions. Appreciation for this genre grew during the 19th century, although Van Leent did not take full advantage of it. The painters who settled better in this field were, for example, Petrus van Schendel and also a little his fellow student Van Grootvelt. Van Leent's work can be found among others in the collection of the Breda Museum.