Gerard de Lairesse (1641–1711) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and art theorist. Born in Liège, he worked primarily in Amsterdam. His style, influenced by French classicism, positioned him as a significant figure in the academic direction of the late Baroque period.
De Lairesse's oeuvre encompassed historical, allegorical, and mythological scenes, often drawing from classical literary sources like Ovid. He also possessed skills in music, poetry, and theatre. His artistic approach was shaped by figures such as Cesare Ripa and French classicist painters Charles le Brun and Simon Vouet. Works like The Sacrifice of Polyxena (1667) exemplify his classical narrative painting.
De Lairesse's importance in Dutch art grew following the death of Rembrandt. His theoretical writings, including Grondlegginge Ter Teekenkonst (1701), which applied geometry to drawing, and Groot Schilderboek (1707), were highly influential on 18th-century painters, earning him the epithet "the Dutch Poussin."
