DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63509#0053
JACOB JORDAENS.
3^i0torib CTo aberrations, allegory
DIED 1678. AGED 84.
This painter, a native of Antwerp, born in 1594, studied originally under
Adam Van Oort, whose daughter Catherine he married. The cares and ex-
penses of this alliance, formed at an early period of life, prevented him from
gratifying his earnest desire of visiting Italy, but he endeavoured to supply the
want of that advantage by diligent study of such pictures of the famous Italian
masters as he found accessible; particularly those of Titian, Caravaggio,
Paul Veronese, and the Bassani.
His ideas never soared above ordinary nature, but he represented that with
a vigorous firmness of design, and brilliant style of colouring, animating his
figures with spirit and motion, and relieving every object with profound skill
and judicious taste.
Rubens employed him for a considerable time in painting cartons for ta-
pestry in distemper, and hence an unfounded story arose that jealousy of his
abilities had induced his employer to contrive this method of ruining his sweet
and natural manner of colouring.* If the amiable character of Rubens were
not sufficient to repel this calumny, the simple fact that Jordaens painted
more admirably after this transaction than before would effectually silence
this inconsiderate attack on the memory of a most excellent man.f
Among other valued performances he produced a Triumph of Prince Frede-
rick Henry of Nassau; this picture was forty feet high. For the king of
Spain, he painted the cartons above mentioned, for which Rubens furnished
the designs: and the king of Sweden engaged him to execute twelve pictures
of our Saviour’s Passion. The churches of the Netherlands abound with his
works.
* Sandrart.
-f- Abrege de la vie des plus fameux Peintres.
3^i0torib CTo aberrations, allegory
DIED 1678. AGED 84.
This painter, a native of Antwerp, born in 1594, studied originally under
Adam Van Oort, whose daughter Catherine he married. The cares and ex-
penses of this alliance, formed at an early period of life, prevented him from
gratifying his earnest desire of visiting Italy, but he endeavoured to supply the
want of that advantage by diligent study of such pictures of the famous Italian
masters as he found accessible; particularly those of Titian, Caravaggio,
Paul Veronese, and the Bassani.
His ideas never soared above ordinary nature, but he represented that with
a vigorous firmness of design, and brilliant style of colouring, animating his
figures with spirit and motion, and relieving every object with profound skill
and judicious taste.
Rubens employed him for a considerable time in painting cartons for ta-
pestry in distemper, and hence an unfounded story arose that jealousy of his
abilities had induced his employer to contrive this method of ruining his sweet
and natural manner of colouring.* If the amiable character of Rubens were
not sufficient to repel this calumny, the simple fact that Jordaens painted
more admirably after this transaction than before would effectually silence
this inconsiderate attack on the memory of a most excellent man.f
Among other valued performances he produced a Triumph of Prince Frede-
rick Henry of Nassau; this picture was forty feet high. For the king of
Spain, he painted the cartons above mentioned, for which Rubens furnished
the designs: and the king of Sweden engaged him to execute twelve pictures
of our Saviour’s Passion. The churches of the Netherlands abound with his
works.
* Sandrart.
-f- Abrege de la vie des plus fameux Peintres.