Jan Vermeer van Utrecht
Encyclopedia
Jan Vermeer van Utrecht (bapt. 16 February 1630, Schipluiden
– c. 1696, Vreeswijk
), was a Dutch Golden Age
painter. Though he was born near Delft
, there is no known relation between this painter and Johannes Vermeer
.
and became friends with Willem Drost
and Johann Carl Loth
.
He returned North in 1662, where he became member of the Utrecht Guild of St. Luke
in 1663 and became deacon of the guild 1664-1666. Houbraken tells a curious story about Vermeer van Utrecht in his biography of Jan Davidsz de Heem. In this story, on his return from Italy, Vermeer marries a widow who owns a white lead
factory. He is wealthy and has a carefree life until his wife dies and then his factory is burned by French soldiers. He manages to save a garland painting by De Heem that he once paid 2000 guilders for. This was an enormous sum of money, but Houbraken mentions that his grandfather had been a wealthy man, and until his factory was destroyed, Vermeer van Utrecht had been painting for pleasure, rather than professionally. The amount is meant as an indication of the fame and esteem of De Heem, rather than the wealth of Vermeer van Utrecht. Vermeer van Utrecht then applies to his benefactor, Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein
, to give him a government post in return for this painting, which he offers to paint with the likeness of the young prince Willem III
in the middle of the garland. The lord of Zuylestein was the governor of the young prince from 1659 to 1666, so this deal must have been done sometime between 1662 (Vermeer van Utrecht's return from Italy), and 1672 (the death of the lord of Zuylestein). Apparently, the deal is done, and several years pass, in which Vermeer van Utrecht did become an appointed member of the Utrecht regency (Vroedschap), but where he felt like a fifth wheel. In 1672 the Utrecht council takes pity on him, and gave him the post of Toll-collector and controller of the river lock at Vreeswijk
, where he later remarried.
Houbraken never saw the painting that he wrote about, but this must be the painting now hanging in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
, that was taken with the rest of the Royal painting collection as war booty to France a century later in 1795.
Perhaps because of this story, Vermeer van Utrecht became known as a portraitist, and painted a portrait of the regents of various Utrecht institutions, among them the orphanage in 1680. He married Hendrina Hounietop in 1683 in Vreeswijk, which is where he died between May 1695 and September 1697.
Schipluiden
Schipluiden is a village in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is the seat of the council of the municipality of Midden-Delfland....
– c. 1696, Vreeswijk
Vreeswijk
Vreeswijk is a former village and municipality in the Dutch province of Utrecht. The municipality merged with Jutphaas in 1971, and is now the southern half of the town of Nieuwegein....
), was a 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...
painter. Though he was born near Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, there is no known relation between this painter and Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
.
Biography
His father died when he was 10 and he was raised by his step-grandfather in Rotterdam. According to Houbraken he travelled to Italy with Lieve VerschuierLieve Verschuier
Lieve Pietersz Verschuier was a Dutch Golden Age painter of maritime subjects.-Biography:He was born in Rotterdam, and is documented in Amsterdam in 1651, where he possibly learned to paint from Simon de Vlieger. He traveled to Rome in 1653 as a young man with Jan Vermeer van Utrecht and became...
and became friends with Willem Drost
Willem Drost
Willem Drost was a Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker of history paintings and portraits who died young.-Biography:...
and Johann Carl Loth
Johann Carl Loth
Johann Carl Loth was a German Baroque painter, born in Munich but active most of his life in Venice.-Biography:He is also called Johann Karl, Karel, Carlotto, and Carlo Lotti. According to Houbraken he was one of three grand masters of art called "Karel" Johann Carl Loth (1632 – October 6, 1698)...
.
He returned North in 1662, where he became member of the Utrecht Guild of St. Luke
Utrecht Guild of St. Luke
The Utrecht Guild of Saint Luke refers to two artist collectives in Utrecht ; the old Catholic Zadelaarsgilde dating from the middle ages, as well as the newer Sint Lucas Gilde established in 1611. The first collective was for a number of trades that were connected to the art industry, though the...
in 1663 and became deacon of the guild 1664-1666. Houbraken tells a curious story about Vermeer van Utrecht in his biography of Jan Davidsz de Heem. In this story, on his return from Italy, Vermeer marries a widow who owns a white lead
White lead
White lead is the chemical compound 2·Pb2. It was formerly used as an ingredient for lead paint and a cosmetic called Venetian Ceruse, because its opaque quality made it a good pigment. However, it tended to cause lead poisoning, and its use has been banned in most countries.White lead has been...
factory. He is wealthy and has a carefree life until his wife dies and then his factory is burned by French soldiers. He manages to save a garland painting by De Heem that he once paid 2000 guilders for. This was an enormous sum of money, but Houbraken mentions that his grandfather had been a wealthy man, and until his factory was destroyed, Vermeer van Utrecht had been painting for pleasure, rather than professionally. The amount is meant as an indication of the fame and esteem of De Heem, rather than the wealth of Vermeer van Utrecht. Vermeer van Utrecht then applies to his benefactor, Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein
Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein
Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein was an illegitimate son of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.-Life:In 1640 his father gave him the castle and title Heer van Zuylestein and made him captain of infantry for the state. In 1659, he was made governor of the household of his nephew, William III of Orange...
, to give him a government post in return for this painting, which he offers to paint with the likeness of the young prince Willem III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in the middle of the garland. The lord of Zuylestein was the governor of the young prince from 1659 to 1666, so this deal must have been done sometime between 1662 (Vermeer van Utrecht's return from Italy), and 1672 (the death of the lord of Zuylestein). Apparently, the deal is done, and several years pass, in which Vermeer van Utrecht did become an appointed member of the Utrecht regency (Vroedschap), but where he felt like a fifth wheel. In 1672 the Utrecht council takes pity on him, and gave him the post of Toll-collector and controller of the river lock at Vreeswijk
Vreeswijk
Vreeswijk is a former village and municipality in the Dutch province of Utrecht. The municipality merged with Jutphaas in 1971, and is now the southern half of the town of Nieuwegein....
, where he later remarried.
Houbraken never saw the painting that he wrote about, but this must be the painting now hanging in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon
The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Lyon. It is housed near place des Terreaux in a former Benedictine convent of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was restored between 1988 and 1998, and despite these important restoration works it remained open...
, that was taken with the rest of the Royal painting collection as war booty to France a century later in 1795.
Perhaps because of this story, Vermeer van Utrecht became known as a portraitist, and painted a portrait of the regents of various Utrecht institutions, among them the orphanage in 1680. He married Hendrina Hounietop in 1683 in Vreeswijk, which is where he died between May 1695 and September 1697.