Claude Henri Watelet

Claude Henri Watelet was an artist and publisher whose documented active period spans from 1620 to 1764. The surviving works associated with Watelet consist primarily of prints and illustrated books.

The documented oeuvre demonstrates an affinity for landscape and rural observation. Claude Henri Watelet prints frequently focus on pastoral life and topographical studies, with titles affirming an interest in everyday scenes, such as Cottages and a hay barn on the Diemerdijk with a flock of sheep, Landschap met een hooimijt en een kudde schapen, and Landschap met een koets. Religious iconography is also represented by works like The Flight into Egypt: Small Plate. In total, six prints and three books are currently documented in institutional holdings.

The historical significance of Watelet’s output is affirmed by the inclusion of their work in major collections, including the Rijksmuseum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Such pieces are frequently made available to researchers and the public, often provided as high-quality prints, reflecting the growing trend among institutions to place historical artwork into the public domain.