Jan den Uyl
Encyclopedia
Jan Jansz. den Uyl was a painter
of the Dutch Golden Age
. He very much specialized in the form of still life
known as the breakfast piece, or, in the elaborate style of painters like den Uyl, banquet pieces (banketjestukken). He also painted landscapes and animal paintings.
Den Uyl was well known in his time, and Peter Paul Rubens owned three of his paintings. Although den Uyl is nowadays comparatively unknown, one of his paintings, in the collection of Gerald Guterman, has been called the "most beautifully perfect Dutch monochrome still-life in existence".
The Dutch word uyl means "owl", and den Uyl always included the signature motif of an owl
in his paintings, often more than once in a single picture. Sometimes the motif is obvious and sometimes it is more covert. For example, in his Breakfast Still Life with Glass and Metalwork (1637–39), in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
, an owl is incorporated fairly obviously as the decorative finial
on a large flagon, but the reflections in the pewter plates are also reminiscent of the face of an owl.
He trained Jan Jansz. Treck and married his sister in 1619.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
of the Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age painting
Dutch Golden Age painting is the painting of the Dutch Golden Age, a period in Dutch history generally spanning the 17th century, during and after the later part of the Eighty Years War for Dutch independence. The new Dutch Republic was the most prosperous nation in Europe, and led European trade,...
. He very much specialized in the form of still life
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...
known as the breakfast piece, or, in the elaborate style of painters like den Uyl, banquet pieces (banketjestukken). He also painted landscapes and animal paintings.
Den Uyl was well known in his time, and Peter Paul Rubens owned three of his paintings. Although den Uyl is nowadays comparatively unknown, one of his paintings, in the collection of Gerald Guterman, has been called the "most beautifully perfect Dutch monochrome still-life in existence".
The Dutch word uyl means "owl", and den Uyl always included the signature motif of an owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
in his paintings, often more than once in a single picture. Sometimes the motif is obvious and sometimes it is more covert. For example, in his Breakfast Still Life with Glass and Metalwork (1637–39), in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
, an owl is incorporated fairly obviously as the decorative finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
on a large flagon, but the reflections in the pewter plates are also reminiscent of the face of an owl.
He trained Jan Jansz. Treck and married his sister in 1619.
Sources and external links
Link to copy of this article. Link- Breakfast Still Life with Glass and Metalwork in Boston MFA on-line catalogue. Link
- Information based on a report by Fred G Meijer of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, The Hague