Jan Leavens ( Netherlands. Jan Lievens , October 24, 1607 ; Leiden - June 8, 1674 , Amsterdam ) is a Dutch Golden Age artist. Usually associated with Rembrandt , with whom he was friendly and worked in the same workshop, in a similar style. For a long time it was forgotten, since in 1632 he worked as a court artist in England and other countries.
| Jan Leavens | |
|---|---|
| niderl. Jan lievens | |
 self portrait, 1629-1630 Leiden collection | |
| Date of Birth | October 24, 1607 |
| Place of Birth | Leiden |
| Date of death | June 8, 1674 (66 years old) |
| Place of death | Amsterdam |
| A country |  Republic of the United Provinces |
| Genre | portrait |
Content
Biography
He studied painting from the age of eight, including with Peter Lastman , whose student a few years later became Rembrandt. The young artists became friends, they had a common studio, in the works of 1626-1631 their influence on each other was noticeable. Konstantin Huygens , whose portrait Leavens painted, left a memorial note about a visit to the workshop of two artists in 1628.
Between 1632 and 1644, Livens lived in Great Britain, worked at the English court, and left a portrait of Charles I. During this period, he was influenced by Van Dyck . Later he worked in Antwerp , The Hague , Berlin . He enjoyed high patronage, led a luxurious life. Since 1655 he lived in Amsterdam. The end of his life was spent in poverty, the family refused him, so as not to incur the debts of the artist.
Creativity
When he was considered a rival to Rembrandt, he was widely known. He painted paintings on biblical subjects, most famous for portraits, among which is the portrait of Descartes (1643).
Legacy
The artist’s paintings are kept in museums in England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, the USA, etc. Three of his works are in the Hermitage :
- The head of a gray-bearded old man in profile (1631-1632)
- Smiling old man (1624-1626)
- Portrait of Volrat von Plessen (the author’s copy of a fragment of the painting “Portrait of Prince Karl Ludwig and his tutor Volrat von Plessen in the images of Alexander and Aristotle” from the Getty Museum , circa 1631)
Literature
- Wheelock AK, Dickey S. Jan Lievens: a Dutch master rediscovered. Washington: National Gallery of Art; Milwaukee: Milwaukee Art Museum; Amsterdam: Rembrandthuis; New Haven: Yale UP, 2008