Willem Doudijns

Doudijns was the son of a Burgomaster in the Hague and completed his studies under Alexander Petit. He travelled to Italy some time before 1650 and remained there for 12 years, studying and sketching both after the antique as well as the modern masters.

As a member of the Schildersbent he adopted the sopranome “Diomedes” as well as an Italianate form for his signature. In 1661 he returned to the Hague, where he helped Jan Bisschop to found the Academy, of which he was later elected president. Doudijns also ran a very active studio, his pupils including Willem Wissing, and Augustinus and Matheus  Terwesten. During his lifetime his designs and sketches were engraved and widely distributed by Bisschop and his works were highly prized and widely sought after well into the 18^th century.