Jacob Marrel
Encyclopedia
Jacob Marrel was a German still life
painter active in Utrecht
during the Dutch Golden Age
.
. He moved with his family in 1624 to Frankfurt, where he became a student of Georg Flegel
in 1627. Attracted by the high prices for flower still life paintings, Marrel studied from 1632-1650 with Jan Davidszoon de Heem
in Utrecht (city)
, before returning to Frankfurt, where he married Johanna Sybilla Heim(ius), the widow of Matthäus Merian
, who died in 1650. He took on students, and his wife's daughter Maria Sibylla Merian
became a renowned painter of flowers and insects, rivalling Rachel Ruysch
as a female artist. She later married one of his pupils, Johann Andreas Graff, in 1665, after a 6-year tour he made to Venice and Rome upon completion of his studies under Marrel.
In 1660 Marrel spent another period in Utrecht, with his student Abraham Mignon
, who married and settled there. This is presumably the period in which Maria Sibylla Merian was introduced to Dutch flower painting. In 1665 Marrel returned to Germany, attending the wedding of his step-daughter in Nuremberg
and in Frankfurt establishing a school of his own in flower painting. He was active as an art dealer in Utrecht until 1669. He died in Frankfurt
.
He signed his work with Jacobus Marrellus Fecit.
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
painter active in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
during the Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
.
Biography
Jacob Marrel was born in FrankenthalFrankenthal
Frankenthal is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, after the founder, as the Erkenbertruine — still stand today in the town...
. He moved with his family in 1624 to Frankfurt, where he became a student of Georg Flegel
Georg Flegel
Georg Flegel was a German painter, best known for his still life works.Flegel was born in Olmütz , Moravia. Around 1580 he moved to Vienna, where he became a assistant to Lucas van Valckenborch I, a painter and draughtsman. Flegel and his employer later moved to Frankfurt, which at the time was an...
in 1627. Attracted by the high prices for flower still life paintings, Marrel studied from 1632-1650 with Jan Davidszoon de Heem
Jan Davidszoon de Heem
Jan Davidsz. de Heem or in-full Jan Davidszoon de Heem, also called Johannes de Heem or Johannes van Antwerpen , was a still life painter who was active in Utrecht and Antwerp...
in Utrecht (city)
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, before returning to Frankfurt, where he married Johanna Sybilla Heim(ius), the widow of Matthäus Merian
Matthäus Merian
Matthäus Merian der Ältere was a Swiss-born engraver who worked in Frankfurt for most of his career, where he also ran a publishing house.-Early life and marriage:...
, who died in 1650. He took on students, and his wife's daughter Maria Sibylla Merian
Maria Sibylla Merian
Maria Sibylla Merian was a naturalist and scientific illustrator who studied plants and insects and made detailed paintings about them...
became a renowned painter of flowers and insects, rivalling Rachel Ruysch
Rachel Ruysch
Rachel Ruysch was a Dutch artist who specialized in still-life paintings of flowers, one of only three significant women artists in Dutch Golden Age painting, of whom Maria van Oosterwijk was also a flower painter, and Judith Leyster mainly not .She was born in The...
as a female artist. She later married one of his pupils, Johann Andreas Graff, in 1665, after a 6-year tour he made to Venice and Rome upon completion of his studies under Marrel.
In 1660 Marrel spent another period in Utrecht, with his student Abraham Mignon
Abraham Mignon
Abraham Mignon or Minjon , was a Dutch golden age painter, specialized in flower bouquets.-Biography:Mignon was born at Frankfurt. His father, a merchant, placed him under the care of the still-life painter Jacob Marrel, when he was only seven years old. Marrel specialized in flower painting, and...
, who married and settled there. This is presumably the period in which Maria Sibylla Merian was introduced to Dutch flower painting. In 1665 Marrel returned to Germany, attending the wedding of his step-daughter in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
and in Frankfurt establishing a school of his own in flower painting. He was active as an art dealer in Utrecht until 1669. He died in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
.
He signed his work with Jacobus Marrellus Fecit.