Biography

Dutch painter, part of a family of painters, son of Dirck Rafaelsz. Camphuysen (1586-1627) and brother of Rafael Dircksz. Camphuysen (1616-1691)). When his father died, his mother moved with the children to Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam Camphuysen was influenced by Paulus Potter in his depictions of animals. In 1643 Govert Dircksz. painted portraits. He married in 1647 and left the city around 1650, probably because of financial troubles. In 1652 he was in Gottorf, then left for Sweden where he was in the service of Queen Hedwig Eleonora (1636-1715), wife of Charles X Gustav of Sweden, probably through the duke of Gottorf. Between 1652 and 1665 he worked in Sweden (Nyköping, Stockholm and Göteborg).

He returned to Amsterdam in 1665, made his will in 1667 and was buried in 1672.

His son Govert Camphuysen (1657-after 1693) was also painter.