Charles Henri Joseph Leickert

(1816 – 1907)

Charles Henri Joseph Leickert was born in Brussels on 22nd September 1816. 

From a very early age he showed a flair for his subject and was soon apprenticed to learn how to draw and paint.  Charles Leickert was taught by three Masters, all of whom, in their subject and medium, were amongst the best painters in Holland of their day.  He was a pupil of J B van Hove, Noyen and Andreas Schelfhout. The latter influenced him perhaps the most. They all taught Leickert the way to draw in the most meticulous detail and Andreas Schelfhout, who was probably the greatest Master in Holland at that time, taught him the use of colour.  Schelfout’s colour and depth is very influential in Leickert's earlier paintings.

Leickert evolved throughout his life and from having a very traditional and tight style of the latter 18th Century, his last pictures began to show the influence of the French impressionist movements and were very much looser but still showing the obvious influence of the Dutch Romantic School.

He is known to have worked in The Hague between 1841 and 1848.  He worked in Amsterdam from 1849 to 1861, moving to Mainz in 1861 for a brief spell, returning to The Hague in 1862, then Amsterdam from 1862 - 1883, the Nieuwer Amstel from 1883 - 1887 and back to Mainz in 1887 for a longer spell until 1907.  He also exhibited, three times in Brussels.  His returns to Brussels were often for important Exhibitions and for several important commissions.

In 1836 a painting in an Amsterdam exhibition received great recognition and during his life several of his works found their way to Great Britain and into private collections throughout Northern Europe.

He became a member of the Arts et Amicitiae in Amsterdam from 1848.  He is also known to have collaborated with other artists, particularly in 1848 C Rochussen in a street scene, and in 1849 a beautiful winter landscape in conjunction with J J Moerenhout.  In 1856 he exhibited a painting in the Royal Academy of Amsterdam.  He exhibited in Amsterdam and The Hague throughout the whole of his life particularly between 1841 and 1887, also in Leeuwarden between 1855 and 1863.

Leickert is considered to be one of finest painters of the Dutch Romantic School and is highly collectable.

He is found in the following museums: Kortrijk, Amsterdam; Rijksmuseum, The Hague; Utrecht; Enschede; Delft; Museum Boymans; Otterlo; Mainz.