Willem Van der Hagen

Willem (or William) Van der Hagen (died 1745) was a Dutch painter who settled in Ireland in the early 1720s, where he subsequently painted many works of art. He was also active in Europe and England prior to this. He is regarded by many as the founder of the Irish school of landscape painting.

Willem Van der Hagen was born in the Netherlands, probably in The Hague. His exact date and place of birth are uncertain.

Van der Hagen first worked in Europe, where he painted views of a number of locations – including one of Gibraltar. He then settled in England, where he painted views of towns. However, he moved to Ireland in the early 1720s, although is first recorded painting was of Drogheda in 1718. He remained in Ireland the longest. He was one of Ireland's earliest landscape painters and is widely regarded as the founder of the Irish school of landscape painting.

'View of Drogheda' by William Van Der Hagen

He painted View of Drogheda in 1718, this is probably his earliest work in Ireland. The paining is part of Drogheda municipal collection on show in the towns Highlanes Galley. He is recorded in Dublin in 1722 painting sets for the Theatre Royal, Dublin. He painted a State Ball in Dublin Castle in 1731 and a View of Waterford about 1736. The second of these was commissioned by Waterford Corporation, who paid £20 for it in 1736 – today, it is kept in Waterford City Hall. It is one of the earliest detailed views of an Irish city.

These views were followed in the 1730s by many capriccio landscapes.

One of Van der Hagen's paintings, titled "Corke Harbour 1738", was auctioned in Cork on Wednesday, 11 February 2004. It obtained a price of €360,000. The painting is the oldest known surviving view of Cork Harbour.

• Willem van der Hagen at the RKD database