# Herman Frederik Carel ten Kate artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/herman-frederik-carel-ten-kate/
Profile generated: 2026-05-11T19:32:10.480Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: Dutch
- Movements: Dutch Romantic historical-genre painting
- Common media: oil painting, watercolour, lithography, drawing, prints

## About Herman Frederik Carel ten Kate

Herman Frederik Carel ten Kate (1822–1891), often referred to as Herman ten Kate the Elder, was a Dutch painter, watercolourist, lithographer, and draughtsman active in the nineteenth century. He is best known for historical genre scenes, particularly those depicting military figures and episodes from Dutch national history, including the Napoleonic era and the coronation of King William III. A recognised teacher, ten Kate worked within the Dutch Romantic tradition alongside contemporaries such as David Bles, Alexander Hugo Bakker Korff, and Charles Rochussen. His practice spanned oil painting, watercolour, drawing, and printmaking, and he received royal patronage under King William III of the Netherlands. His work is documented in the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), the Getty Union List of Artist Names, and multiple European library authority files.

## Common works and media

Ten Kate produced oil paintings, watercolours, lithographs, and drawings. His most characteristic works are detailed historical genre scenes featuring military officers, soldiers in period costume, and events from Dutch history such as the defence of Dutch independence under Louis Napoleon and the 1849 coronation of King William III. Watercolours of these subjects are especially well regarded. Lithographic prints after his compositions also circulated widely. Collectors may also encounter preparatory drawings and sketchbook sheets.

## Market and appraisal context

Ten Kate’s works appear across Old Master and nineteenth-century painting sales, as well as in works-on-paper and print auctions. Collectors most frequently encounter his watercolours of military and historical genre subjects, followed by oil paintings and lithographic prints. Factors that may influence appraisal include the specific medium, the quality of detail in figurative composition, provenance linking to royal or institutional collections, and whether the work can be securely attributed to ten Kate the Elder rather than a namesake relative. Auction comparables should be consulted for current market guidance, as no price records were available in this research pass.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines identity research grounded in the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History, the Getty Union List of Artist Names, VIAF, and Wikidata authority records, with Invaluable auction-house listings. When available, auction records, sale dates, realised prices, and comparable lots are incorporated to support appraisal context.

## Sources

- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/43590
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2444286
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/25345381/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500016683
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Frederik_Carel_ten_Kate_(artist)