Bredero, Gerbrand Adriaenszoon

Bredero, Gerbrand Adriaenszoon (hĕr`bränt ädrēän`zōn brā`dĕrō), 1585–1618, Dutch dramatist and poet. He is considered the major Dutch poet of his generation, particularly for his spontaneous love sonnets. The first Dutch master of comedy, Bredero was an important innovator; he drew upon classical elements as well as Renaissance models. His masterpiece, De Spaansche Brabander (1617, tr. The Spanish Brabanter, 1982), is a realistic comedy of Amsterdam life and reveals the influence of Spanish romanticism. Bredero's work was collected in three volumes in 1890.