Johannes Verkolje
Encyclopedia
Johannes, or Jan Verkolje (Amsterdam, baptized on 27 February 1650 – Delft, 8 May 1693) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and engraver, often called Jan I to distinguish him from his son Jan II. He is known for his portraits and genre pieces.
. In the end of the same year his brother Jacob was born. Jan became a student of Jan Andrea Lievens (1644-1680), the son of Jan Lievens
. According to Arnold Houbraken
, he was a wunderkind, whose talent started with an accident. As a child playing with darts, he had the unfortunate accident of receiving a dart in his heel, which began to fester so that he needed to lie in bed for months to alleviate the infection. While in bed a man named Bronkhorst
gave him some prints to copy, and thus he took up drawing, and spent the rest of his career learning drawing techniques on his own. With the same amount of dedication, the young Jan Verkolje learned the art of perspective within a month. Then he took up painting in oils, and copied the works of Gerard van Zyl
, also known as Gerards. He became so good at imitating his style, that when he finally took art lessons from Jan Lievensz the younger, Lievens recognized Gerards style immediately and later asked him to finish the unfinished paintings he bought from the estate of Gerards after his death. Lievens then offered him a "present", namely to witness the sale of these paintings, whereby the buyers claimed they were too good to be by Lievens and thus must have been by Gerards. They were then sold as Gerards paintings. This experience only fueled the artistic fervor of Verkolje further.
Houbraken also claimed that Verkolje discovered the mezzotint
technique on his own, and both Abraham Bloteling and Wallerant Vaillant
marvelled at his ability. In the rampjaar
1672 he moved from Amsterdam via Schipluiden
to Delft, where he married in October 1672 with Judick Voorheul. He became a member of the Guild of St. Luke in 1673 serving as its dean between 1678 and 1688. Verkolje became very successful and would sell to the court in the Hague.
His sons Nikolaas Verkolje
(1673 Delft - † 1746 Amsterdam) and Jan II (1683 Delft - † 1755 Amsterdam) also became painters. His other pupils were Albertus van der Burch, Joan van der Spriet
, Willem Verschuring
, and Thomas van der Wilt. In addition to this list of names, Houbraken also mentions Henrik Steenwinkel.
Verkolje died in Delft in 1693 aged 43 at the peak of his fame, and was buried in the Oude Kerk (Delft)
. He left a wife, three sons and two daughters. Houbraken intended to write a biographical sketch of Nicolaas, but never got that far; he died in 1719 before publication of Volume III, which contains Jan Verkolje's biographical sketch.
Biography
Verkolje was baptized in the Nieuwezijds Kapel as the son of Benjamin Jacobsz, a locksmith, and Maria Tonnes. The couple lived not far away in Regulierbreestraat, near the MunttorenMunttoren
The Munttoren or Munt is a tower in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It stands on the busy Muntplein square, where the Amstel river and the Singel canal meet, near the flower market and the eastern end of the Kalverstraat shopping street....
. In the end of the same year his brother Jacob was born. Jan became a student of Jan Andrea Lievens (1644-1680), the son of Jan Lievens
Jan Lievens
Jan Lievens was a Dutch painter, usually associated with Rembrandt, working in a similar style.-Biography:According to Arnold Houbraken, Jan was the son of Lieven Hendriksze, a tapestry worker , and was trained by Joris Verschoten. He was sent to Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam at about the age of 10...
. According to 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...
, he was a wunderkind, whose talent started with an accident. As a child playing with darts, he had the unfortunate accident of receiving a dart in his heel, which began to fester so that he needed to lie in bed for months to alleviate the infection. While in bed a man named Bronkhorst
Jan Gerritsz van Bronckhorst
Jan Gerritsz van Bronckhorst , Bronchorst, or Bronkhorst was a Dutch Golden Age painter and engraver. He is considered today to be a minor member of the Utrecht Caravaggisti.-Biography:...
gave him some prints to copy, and thus he took up drawing, and spent the rest of his career learning drawing techniques on his own. With the same amount of dedication, the young Jan Verkolje learned the art of perspective within a month. Then he took up painting in oils, and copied the works of Gerard van Zyl
Gerard van Zyl
Gerard Pieter van Zyl, Gerrit Pietersz van Zijl, or Gerards was a Dutch Golden Age painter of portraits and genre scenes.-Biography:...
, also known as Gerards. He became so good at imitating his style, that when he finally took art lessons from Jan Lievensz the younger, Lievens recognized Gerards style immediately and later asked him to finish the unfinished paintings he bought from the estate of Gerards after his death. Lievens then offered him a "present", namely to witness the sale of these paintings, whereby the buyers claimed they were too good to be by Lievens and thus must have been by Gerards. They were then sold as Gerards paintings. This experience only fueled the artistic fervor of Verkolje further.
Houbraken also claimed that Verkolje discovered the mezzotint
Mezzotint
Mezzotint is a printmaking process of the intaglio family, technically a drypoint method. It was the first tonal method to be used, enabling half-tones to be produced without using line- or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple...
technique on his own, and both Abraham Bloteling and Wallerant Vaillant
Wallerant Vaillant
Wallerant Vaillant, , was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age and one of the first artists to use the mezzotint technique, which he probably helped to develop.- Biography :...
marvelled at his ability. In the rampjaar
Rampjaar
The rampjaar was the year 1672 in Dutch history. In that year,the Republic of the Seven United Provinces was after the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and the Third Anglo-Dutch War attacked by England, France, and the prince-electors Bernhard von Galen, bishop of Münster and Maximilian Henry of...
1672 he moved from Amsterdam via Schipluiden
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....
to Delft, where he married in October 1672 with Judick Voorheul. He became a member of the Guild of St. Luke in 1673 serving as its dean between 1678 and 1688. Verkolje became very successful and would sell to the court in the Hague.
His sons Nikolaas Verkolje
Nikolaas Verkolje
Nicolaas Verkolje , was a Dutch Golden Age painter and mezzotint maker.-Biography:According to Houbraken he was the son of Jan Verkolje and the only one of 5 children to carry on his art...
(1673 Delft - † 1746 Amsterdam) and Jan II (1683 Delft - † 1755 Amsterdam) also became painters. His other pupils were Albertus van der Burch, Joan van der Spriet
Joan van der Spriet
Joan van der Spriet , was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:According to Houbraken he grew up in the Delft orphanage and became a pupil of Johannes Verkolje. He was a good portrait painter who moved to England and after marrying there, settled there.According to the RKD he was also a...
, Willem Verschuring
Willem Verschuring
Willem Verschuring , was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:He learned to paint from his father, Hendrik Verschuring, and later became a pupil of Jan Verkolje in Delft...
, and Thomas van der Wilt. In addition to this list of names, Houbraken also mentions Henrik Steenwinkel.
Verkolje died in Delft in 1693 aged 43 at the peak of his fame, and was buried in the Oude Kerk (Delft)
Oude Kerk (Delft)
The Oude Kerk , nicknamed Oude Jan , is a Gothic Protestant church in the old city center of Delft, the Netherlands. Its most recognizable feature is a 75-meter-high brick tower that leans about two meters from the vertical....
. He left a wife, three sons and two daughters. Houbraken intended to write a biographical sketch of Nicolaas, but never got that far; he died in 1719 before publication of Volume III, which contains Jan Verkolje's biographical sketch.
Works
- Venus and Adonis, which became a popular print;
- Heer van der Heul;
- The children of the mayor Pieter Teding van Berckhout (1643-1713);
- The children of Jacob van Vredenburch van Adrichem (1643-1714) and Catharine van der Goes;
- Portraits of the lawyer De Bries and his wife;
- The minister Gerard BrandtGerard BrandtGerard Brandt was a Dutch preacher, playwright, poet, church historian, biographer and naval historian...
; - Gerard Brandt's son Jan Brandt and Jan Brandt's wife;
- In 1674 he painted Johan de la FailleJohan de la FailleJohan de la Faille was a member of the vroedschap in Delft. As a supporter of prince William III of Orange, he was appointed in 1672, the Year of Disaster after the First Stadtholderless Period, when the Dutch Republic was in danger.Johan de la Faille was the owner of a famous curiosity cabinet,...
and his wife, both portraits are owned by the Wadsworth AtheneumWadsworth AtheneumThe Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, with significant holdings of French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces and contemporary works, as well as extensive holdings in early American furniture and...
. - The lawyer Bogaart, in 1685.
- A Music Party , from the Permanent Collection of the Utah Museum of Fine ArtsUtah Museum of Fine ArtsThe Utah Museum of Fine Arts is Utah's primary resource for culture and visual arts. It is located in Salt Lake City, Utah on the University of Utah campus near Rice–Eccles Stadium. Works of art are displayed on a rotating basis. It is a university and state art museum...
.