Bor, who was born and died in
Amersfoort, was descended from a notable Catholic family.[1] He made a study trip to
Rome, where he was one of the founders of the Bentvueghels, taking the nickname Orlando.[2] He returned in 1626 to Amersfoort and joined
Jacob van Campen in the decoration of the palace
Honselaarsdijk belonging to
Frederik Hendrik.[3] In 1635, painted after a stay in Rome, significant is the work "La Maddalena".[4] In 1656, he became regent of the
godshuis "De Armen de Poth" in Amersfoort.[1]
Bor's style of painting was rather at odds with that of
contemporary painters from
Utrecht. He initially painted rather
Caravaggisti-like
history paintings, but his works fast became marked by a classicism related to that of his townsman van Campen. Through unusual compositions and primitive technique, his paintings depict strange and mysterious subjects.
Selected works
The Annunciation of the Virgin's Death (Dutch: De Annunciatie door Gabriël aan de Maagd van haar ophanden zijnde dood), c. 1635–1640 (
National Gallery of Canada,
Ottawa)
Moltke, Joachim Wolfgang Graf von (1977).
Die Gemälde des Paulus Bor von Amersfoort [The paintings of Paulus Bor von Amersfoort] (in German). Aschendorffsche Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paulus Bor.