Jan Meyssens
Encyclopedia
Joannes, Jean, or Jan Meyssens (1612–1670), was a Flemish
Baroque
painter, engraver, and printer.
, were painters, and his son Cornelis became an engraver. This statement has often been repeated by various art historians, but unfortunately, Houbraken mixed up his notes on this artist with his notes on Jan Mytens, the Dutch painter. This Jan Meyssens did have a son Cornelis who was a good engraver, but it's not clear whether his uncles were painters. A later biographer of Jan Meyssens, Christiaan Kramm, stated that Meyssens learned to paint from Anthony van Opstal and later by Nicolas van der Horst. He discovered the Houbraken mistake by comparing the engravings of Jan Meyssens and Jan Mytens in the two books by Arnold Houbraken
and Cornelis de Bie
.
He had a successful business collaborating with contemporary painters and engravers, and is most notable today for his book of prints called Image de divers hommes desprit sublime qui par leur art et science devront vivre eternellement et des quels la lovange et renommée faict estonner le monde, A Anvers mis en lumiere par Iean Meyssens peinctre et vendeur de lart au Cammestraet l'an .M.DC.XLIX, published in 1649. This book, with the engraved portraits of many famous men, including many painters, was used again and again as a source for art historians, most notably in Cornelis de Bie
's, Het Gulden Cabinet
(Antwerp, 1662), who wrote this work on instigation of Meyssen. Years later an English version was published, called The True Effigies Of the most Eminent Painters, and other famous artists that have flourished in Europe (London, 1694).
The notes that Meyssens wrote under each engraving have been used as biographical notes for later art historians such as Arnold Houbraken
and Joachim von Sandrart
.
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
painter, engraver, and printer.
Biography
According to the RKD he was born in Brussels, but moved to Antwerp at an early age, where he became master of the Guild of St. Luke in 1640. He married Anna Jacobs (died 1678). He influenced Theodoor van Merlen. According to Houbraken, Johannes (Jan) Mijtens was trained by Anthony van Opstal and later by Nicolas van der Horst. Both of his uncles, Isaac Mijtens and Daniël MijtensDaniël Mijtens
Daniël Mijtens , known in England as Daniel Mytens the Elder, was a Dutch portrait painter who spent the central years of his career working in England.-Biography:...
, were painters, and his son Cornelis became an engraver. This statement has often been repeated by various art historians, but unfortunately, Houbraken mixed up his notes on this artist with his notes on Jan Mytens, the Dutch painter. This Jan Meyssens did have a son Cornelis who was a good engraver, but it's not clear whether his uncles were painters. A later biographer of Jan Meyssens, Christiaan Kramm, stated that Meyssens learned to paint from Anthony van Opstal and later by Nicolas van der Horst. He discovered the Houbraken mistake by comparing the engravings of Jan Meyssens and Jan Mytens in the two books by Arnold Houbraken
Arnold Houbraken
Arnold Houbraken was a Dutch painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of artists from the Dutch Golden Age. He had ten children. His son Jacobus Houbraken was an engraver of portraits and book illustrations, including books by his father...
and Cornelis de Bie
Cornelis de Bie
Cornelis de Bie was a Brabant rederijker, poet, jurist and minor politician from Lier.He is the author of about 64 works, mostly comedies...
.
He had a successful business collaborating with contemporary painters and engravers, and is most notable today for his book of prints called Image de divers hommes desprit sublime qui par leur art et science devront vivre eternellement et des quels la lovange et renommée faict estonner le monde, A Anvers mis en lumiere par Iean Meyssens peinctre et vendeur de lart au Cammestraet l'an .M.DC.XLIX, published in 1649. This book, with the engraved portraits of many famous men, including many painters, was used again and again as a source for art historians, most notably in Cornelis de Bie
Cornelis de Bie
Cornelis de Bie was a Brabant rederijker, poet, jurist and minor politician from Lier.He is the author of about 64 works, mostly comedies...
's, Het Gulden Cabinet
Het Gulden Cabinet
The Golden Cabinet of the Noble Free Art of Painting, or Het Gulden Cabinet vande Edel Vry Schilder-Const, as it was originally known in Dutch, is a series of artist biographies and panegyrics with engraved portraits written by the 17th century notary and rederijker Cornelis de Bie...
(Antwerp, 1662), who wrote this work on instigation of Meyssen. Years later an English version was published, called The True Effigies Of the most Eminent Painters, and other famous artists that have flourished in Europe (London, 1694).
The notes that Meyssens wrote under each engraving have been used as biographical notes for later art historians such as Arnold Houbraken
Arnold Houbraken
Arnold Houbraken was a Dutch painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of artists from the Dutch Golden Age. He had ten children. His son Jacobus Houbraken was an engraver of portraits and book illustrations, including books by his father...
and Joachim von Sandrart
Joachim von Sandrart
Joachim von Sandrart was a German Baroque art-historian and painter, active in Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age.-Biography:Sandrart was born in Frankfurt, but the family originated from Mons...
.