Jacob Jordaens

Jacob Jordaens

Flemish artist of the 17th century.
Date of Birth: 19.05.1593
Country: Belgium

Biography of Jacob Jordaens

Jacob Jordaens, a Flemish artist of the 17th century, was one of the prominent representatives of Flemish Baroque. His name stands alongside great painters such as Peter Paul Rubens and Antoon van Dyck, who brought fame to the Antwerp school of art. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Jacob Jordaens never traveled outside his homeland, unlike many of his contemporaries who always sought to visit Italy, which gave the world great artists. He lived in Antwerp throughout his life, except for a few short trips, which were also in nearby places. However, this does not mean that he was unfamiliar with Italian art. He studied the paintings of the best Italian artists through the works that were available in Northern Europe or used copies. Despite not leaving his native Antwerp, he was known throughout Europe and received numerous orders from various corners of it. Widely known as a successful painter, he was also a master of tapestries. Jordaens painted altarpieces, mythological and allegorical scenes, and portraits.

Jacob Jordaens was born on May 19, 1593, in the family of a wealthy merchant Jacob Jordaens the Elder and his wife Barbara Folshaten in Antwerp. The family had a total of eleven children, with Jacob being the oldest. There is no exact information about the artist's education in his childhood, but it can be assumed that he received an education corresponding to the representatives of his class. From 1607, Jacob Jordaens studied under the artist Adam van Noort, and after eight years of training, he joined the Guild of Saint Luke and became a painter-decorator. Jacob often assisted Rubens, but later Jordaens organized his own workshop, which was popular and thriving by the 1620s. In 1616, Jacob Jordaens married the eldest daughter of his teacher, Anne Catharina van Noort, who bore him three children. In 1618, Jordaens purchased a house in the Antwerp district where he grew up, and in 1639, he bought a neighboring house to expand his workspace. He lived and worked here until his death in 1678.

In 1640, Rubens passed away, and from that moment, Jacob Jordaens became the leading Flemish painter in the field of multi-figure compositions. Jordaens' artistic style was greatly influenced by Rubens, but it was not as elevated. Another difference was seen in his use of color, as well as light and shadow. The most significant commission worth mentioning is the "Triumph of Frederick Henry," executed in 1651-1652 for Huis ten Bosch, the royal residence.

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