Kalf, Gerrit

Gerrit Kalf ( Dutch: Gerrit Kalff ; June 30, 1856 , Zwolle - August 31, 1923 , Sassnitz ) - Dutch literature historian .

The son of a merchant. He graduated from high school and gymnasium in Zwoll, lyceum in Amsterdam and finally Leiden University (1875), where his mentor was W. Y. A. Jonkblut . He served in the military for a year, then taught at the gymnasium in Haarlem and at the commercial school in Amsterdam. In 1883 he defended at Leiden University his doctoral dissertation “Song in the Middle Ages” ( Dutch. Het lied in de middeleeuwen , published as a monograph in 1884). He taught at the gymnasium in Amsterdam, in 1896-1901. Professor of Utrecht University , and then until the end of the life of Leiden University, in 1917-1918. his rector. Full member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Netherlands (1911), knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (1912).

Kalf's works are mainly devoted to the history of Dutch literature and theater. The most significant of his works are “History of Dutch literature of the 16th century” ( Dutch. Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche letterkunde in de zestiende eeuw ; 1889-1906, in seven editions), “Literature and theater in Amsterdam of the 17th century” ( Dutch. Literatuur en tooneel te Amsterdam in de zeventiende eeuw ; 1895), Essays on Dutch Poets of the 17th Century ( Dutch: Studiën over Nederlandsche dichters der zeventiende eeuw ; 1901, reprint 1915). Kalf also published a book on Jacob Kats (1901), a biography of Jost van den Vondel and a detailed study of the legend of the Flying Dutchman ( Dutch: De sage van den vliegenden Hollander; naar behandling, oorsprong en zin onderzocht ; 1923). His final work, Western European Literature ( Dutch: Westeuropeesche Letterkunde ; 1923-1924, in two volumes) came out posthumously with the addition of a biography of the author.