Udenfor værtshuset

1650

Painter and servant to the merchant de la Grange

As his paintings did not bring in enough to live on, De Hooch took service with the wealthy linen merchant Justus de la Grange and accompanied him on journeys to Leiden, The Hague and Delft. An inventory of de la Grange's property lists eleven paintings by De Hooch.

1652

Moves to Delft with de la Grange

His service with the merchant brought De Hooch to Delft, where he settled with de la Grange at Oude Delft 161. He probably handed over most of his works to la Grange in exchange for board and other benefits, a common arrangement for painters at the time.

1652–1654 · Virkested

Delft

1667

Death of his wife

The painter's wife died at the age of 38, leaving him to care for a young family; the loss seriously affected his state of mind and his work.

1672

The Rampjaar: war with France

The war with France in 1672 — the Rampjaar, the 'disaster year' — sharply worsened the country's economy, and paintings sold poorly. That same year De Hooch's third son was baptised.

1683/1684

Died