Paulus Bor counts among the most renowned representatives of Dutch baroque painting and is regarded a great mediator between Utrecht Caravaggism and Haarlem Classicism.
Paulus Bor (called Orlando) was born at Amersfoort (Utrecht) in 1601. He was born son of an acknowledged family of Catholic faith. Paulus Bor (called Orlando) received a highly qualified education for sure, however, it is not known who taught the young boy in arts.
Paulus Bor (called Orlando) was first mentioned under the Italian form of his name, Paolo Bur, in 1623. The respective source mentions him as founding member of the "Schildersbent" in Rome, a group of Dutch artists notorious for their wild festivities. As "Bentname" Paulus Bor chose "Orlando". Among the members of the "Schildersbent", Paulus Bor was especially befriended with Jan Linsen, who took on the Bentname "Hermaphrodit”.
Around 1626 Paulus Bor went back to Amersrfoort and settled there. However, unlike it is often assumed, he was not active as a brewer there.
Instead he joined the painters’ gild. Works from this period soon showed a dramatic light staging, as it was fashionable with the Utrecht Caravaggisti. At the same time, Paulus Bor increasingly preferred a smooth painting surface in works from around the 1640s, as it was the taste of Haarlem Classicism, with artists such as Pieter de Grebber or Salomon de Bray.
In his native town Paulus Bor was in the circle around Jacob van Campen with whom he also worked on the decoration of the Palace Honselaarsdijk in 1638.
Paulus Bor died as an acknowledged painter in his hometown in 1669.