Jan Vos (poet)
Encyclopedia
Jan Jansz. Vos was a Dutch playwright and poet. A glassmaker by trade (in that position he provided all windows for the new city hall on the Dam
), he also played an important role as stage-manager and director of the theatre. He organized, on the mayors' orders, processions and splendid decorated floats
, which sometimes drew disapproval, criticism, and derision.
at no. 202. He prided himself on knowing no other languages than Dutch. With his Aran and Titus of 1641 his name, previously all but unknown, was made. Casper van Baerle admired the work, despite, or because of, the fact that it featured a prince served as a pudding, a baked Moor
and some apparitions. (The subject is the same as in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus
).
In his Klucht van Oene ("The Farce of Oene", 1642), a number of dishonest practices by Amsterdam merchants and industrialists are criticized - bakers of bread short-selling their customers, tailors filching pieces of cloth owned by their patrons, glassmakers cheating with glass quantities, dyers of silk tampering with their material. In addition, house-agents, pawnbrokers, cashiers, notaries public and secretaries, landlords, millers, doctors, barbers, pharmacists and booksellers enter the stage.
Jan Vos was a sought-after table companion of such leading families as those of De Graeff
, Bicker, Huydecoper and Jan Six
. He wrote occasional poems for them , and this has led to his often being characterized as "a family poet". In 1651 he was among the compilers of the Verscheyde Nederduytse gedichten ("Sundry Poems in Dutch") collection of poems, an attempt to bring together painters and poets of different schools and religions. In 1657, he was an honoured guest at the marriage of Jan J. Hinlopen and Leonora Huydecoper.
Jan Vos was head of the Theatre of Van Campen for nineteen years, together with Tobias van Domselaer and Johannes Serwouters. Vos was part of the Muiderkring
, a group of literary people meeting at a castle where the a member of the Bicker family had been appointed "drost"
(keeper of the castle). He directed plays by Vondel
.
Jan Vos had a good eye for the public taste, and was repeatedly entrusted by the city authorities with designing and overseeing pageants and spectacles. In 1654, Vos organized ten performances celebrating the Treaty of Westminster
. In 1659, Amalia van Solms, the Regent's wife, and her daughter visited Amsterdam, seeing twenty performances especially designed for the occasions. Nicolas Tulp, however, vehemently opposed the appearance of pagan gods and goddesses during the visitors' festive arrival. At the visit of Maria Henrietta Stuart
, the widow of William II
, it turned out that one of the floats represented the beheading of Charles I of England
, Mary's late father. Jan Vos, who led the processions on horseback, and became a target for criticism.
Royal Palace (Amsterdam)
The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which is at the disposal of Queen Beatrix by Act of Parliament. The palace was built as city hall during the Dutch Golden Age in the seventeenth century. The building became the royal palace of king Louis Napoleon and later...
), he also played an important role as stage-manager and director of the theatre. He organized, on the mayors' orders, processions and splendid decorated floats
Float (parade)
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the...
, which sometimes drew disapproval, criticism, and derision.
Life
On 20 February 1639, at the old City Hall of Amsterdam, he married Grietje Gerrets (1616 - 1651), already pregnant by him. They had two children: Jan (who only lived a few days) and Maria (who in 1664 laid the first stone for the new theatre). Jan Vos was of good family and lived in the KalverstraatKalverstraat
The Kalverstraat is the busiest shopping street of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. It is named after the kalvermarkt that was held here until the 17th Century....
at no. 202. He prided himself on knowing no other languages than Dutch. With his Aran and Titus of 1641 his name, previously all but unknown, was made. Casper van Baerle admired the work, despite, or because of, the fact that it featured a prince served as a pudding, a baked Moor
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
and some apparitions. (The subject is the same as in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were...
).
In his Klucht van Oene ("The Farce of Oene", 1642), a number of dishonest practices by Amsterdam merchants and industrialists are criticized - bakers of bread short-selling their customers, tailors filching pieces of cloth owned by their patrons, glassmakers cheating with glass quantities, dyers of silk tampering with their material. In addition, house-agents, pawnbrokers, cashiers, notaries public and secretaries, landlords, millers, doctors, barbers, pharmacists and booksellers enter the stage.
Jan Vos was a sought-after table companion of such leading families as those of De Graeff
De Graeff
De Graeff is an old Dutch patrician family. The family have played an important role during the Dutch Golden Age. They were at the centre of Amsterdam public life and oligarchy from 1578 until 1672...
, Bicker, Huydecoper and Jan Six
Jan Six
Jan Six was an important cultural figure in the golden age of the Netherlands.-Biography:...
. He wrote occasional poems for them , and this has led to his often being characterized as "a family poet". In 1651 he was among the compilers of the Verscheyde Nederduytse gedichten ("Sundry Poems in Dutch") collection of poems, an attempt to bring together painters and poets of different schools and religions. In 1657, he was an honoured guest at the marriage of Jan J. Hinlopen and Leonora Huydecoper.
Jan Vos was head of the Theatre of Van Campen for nineteen years, together with Tobias van Domselaer and Johannes Serwouters. Vos was part of the Muiderkring
Muiderkring
In the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic, roughly equivalent to the later half of the 17th century, the Muiderkring was the name given to a group of figures in the arts and sciences who regularly met at the castle of Muiden near Amsterdam...
, a group of literary people meeting at a castle where the a member of the Bicker family had been appointed "drost"
Landdrost
Landdrost was the title of various officials with local jurisdiction. It is of Dutch origin, with land- corresponding to the English meaning of an area, suggesting a somewhat larger jurisdiction than just a village or estate; and drost being a short form of Drossaard, one of many similar titles in...
(keeper of the castle). He directed plays by Vondel
Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel was a Dutch writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most frequently performed, and his epic Joannes de Boetgezant , on the life of John the Baptist, has...
.
Jan Vos had a good eye for the public taste, and was repeatedly entrusted by the city authorities with designing and overseeing pageants and spectacles. In 1654, Vos organized ten performances celebrating the Treaty of Westminster
Treaty of Westminster (1654)
The Treaty of Westminster was signed on 8 May 1654, which ended the First Anglo-Dutch War . Based on the terms of the accord, the United Provinces recognized Oliver Cromwell's Navigation Acts, which required that imports to the Commonwealth of England must be carried in English ships, or ships from...
. In 1659, Amalia van Solms, the Regent's wife, and her daughter visited Amsterdam, seeing twenty performances especially designed for the occasions. Nicolas Tulp, however, vehemently opposed the appearance of pagan gods and goddesses during the visitors' festive arrival. At the visit of Maria Henrietta Stuart
Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange and Countess of Nassau was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland and his queen, Henrietta Maria of France...
, the widow of William II
William II, Prince of Orange
William II, Prince of Orange was sovereign Prince of Orange and stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands from 14 March 1647 until his death three years later.-Biography:...
, it turned out that one of the floats represented the beheading of Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, Mary's late father. Jan Vos, who led the processions on horseback, and became a target for criticism.
External links
- Schouwburg of Jan Vos
- Wraak en weerwraak
- http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/Dutch/Ceneton/Facsimiles/BontiusVosVertoningen1669/source/BontiusVertoningen9.html