Richard Aertsz
Encyclopedia
Richard Aartsz, or Rijckaert Aertsz (1482 – May 1577) was a Dutch Renaissance painter of historical allegories. Most of his works were painted while he lived in Antwerp. He was a pupil of Jan Mostaert
in Haarlem
. Frans Floris
became his pupil and friend.
, (Beverwijk
) and was the son of a fisherman. As a boy he had burned his leg, so he was sent to Haarlem
for treatment, but because of an incompetent doctor or because it was simply too late, the wound further deteriorated until his leg had to be amputated, which compelled him to walk with a crutch. That's why he was nicknamed Rijk met de Stelt (Rich with the Crutch), which is his now his best known artist name.
During his period of recovery, he often sat near the fire, and drew on the white stone hearth wall with charcoals, which he did so well that his parents asked if he would like to be a painter or draughtsman, and when he responded seriously in the affirmative, he was apprenticed to Jan Mostaert
, then a master of a painting workshop in Haarlem
. He was such a studious apprentice that he soon became a good artist himself. He painted the altar doors of the Carrier's guild
(Zakkendragersgilde, a guild for turf carriers and other cart trades) in the St. Bavochurch. The altar itself had been painted earlier by Jacob van Haarlem, the master of Mostaert. The altar door subjects were designed by Rijck, and were the history of Joseph (son of Jacob); one side was devoted to his brothers who came for grain, and the other side was Joseph himself seated like a king, hiding his identity for his brothers in Egypt; pieces which were highly praised. Rijck was a successful painter who painted many pieces in Friesland
, but most of these were destroyed during the Beeldenstorm
.
Rijck eventually traveled to Antwerp where he married Catharina Dircksdr and joined the Guild of Saint Luke
in 1520. He was able to make a living by painting the flesh tones ("naeckten" can also mean nudes) for other painters in return for a day-wage. He died there in May 1577, famed as a quiet, happy, peaceful and pious man, much loved for his good mood. In reference to his name and crutch, he often said "Ik ben rijk en wel gestelt" ("I am rich and well off", a pun on his name Rijckaert (rijck means rich, while rijkaard means rich man), and having to use a crutch (gestelt means with a crutch, while welgesteld means well off).
In his old age, his vision was badly impaired, so that he was barely able to see what he was doing. When he put the paint on the panels so thickly that no one liked it, the paint often needed to be scraped off again, which upset him because he felt no one appreciated his work.
His portrait was painted by his friend Frans Floris
around 1560, as the central figure in a painting of St. Luke for the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke, probably because he was an upbeat and popular character in the guild. He was the father of the painter Lambert Ryck Aertsz, called Robbesant.
Jan Mostaert
Jan Mostaert, also known by the names Joannes Sinapius and Master Of Oultremont was a Dutch Renaissance painter of portraits and religious subjects, though his most famous creation was the "West Indies Landscape"....
in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
. Frans Floris
Frans Floris
Frans Floris, or more correctly Frans de Vriendt, called Floris was a Flemish painter. He was a member of a large family trained to the study of art in Flanders.-Biography:...
became his pupil and friend.
Biography
Rykert (or Rijck) was born in Wijk aan ZeeWijk aan Zee
Wijk aan Zee is a small town on the coast of the North Sea in the municipality of Beverwijk in the province of North Holland of the Netherlands. The prestigious Tata Steel chess tournament formerly Corus chess tournament and before that called Hoogovens tournament takes place there every year.Due...
, (Beverwijk
Beverwijk
Beverwijk is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The town is located about northwest of Amsterdam in the Randstad metropolitan area, north of the North Sea Canal very close to the North Sea coast...
) and was the son of a fisherman. As a boy he had burned his leg, so he was sent to Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
for treatment, but because of an incompetent doctor or because it was simply too late, the wound further deteriorated until his leg had to be amputated, which compelled him to walk with a crutch. That's why he was nicknamed Rijk met de Stelt (Rich with the Crutch), which is his now his best known artist name.
During his period of recovery, he often sat near the fire, and drew on the white stone hearth wall with charcoals, which he did so well that his parents asked if he would like to be a painter or draughtsman, and when he responded seriously in the affirmative, he was apprenticed to Jan Mostaert
Jan Mostaert
Jan Mostaert, also known by the names Joannes Sinapius and Master Of Oultremont was a Dutch Renaissance painter of portraits and religious subjects, though his most famous creation was the "West Indies Landscape"....
, then a master of a painting workshop in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
. He was such a studious apprentice that he soon became a good artist himself. He painted the altar doors of the Carrier's guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
(Zakkendragersgilde, a guild for turf carriers and other cart trades) in the St. Bavochurch. The altar itself had been painted earlier by Jacob van Haarlem, the master of Mostaert. The altar door subjects were designed by Rijck, and were the history of Joseph (son of Jacob); one side was devoted to his brothers who came for grain, and the other side was Joseph himself seated like a king, hiding his identity for his brothers in Egypt; pieces which were highly praised. Rijck was a successful painter who painted many pieces in Friesland
West Friesland (historical region)
West Friesland is a historical region in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was located in parts of what now is Noord-Holland and the Waddenzee. The region was bordered by the rivers Vlie and IJ...
, but most of these were destroyed during the Beeldenstorm
Beeldenstorm
Beeldenstorm in Dutch, roughly translatable to "statue storm", or Bildersturm in German , also the Iconoclastic Fury, is a term used for outbreaks of destruction of religious images that occurred in Europe in the 16th century...
.
Rijck eventually traveled to Antwerp where he married Catharina Dircksdr and joined the Guild of Saint Luke
Guild of Saint Luke
The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was identified by John of Damascus as having painted the...
in 1520. He was able to make a living by painting the flesh tones ("naeckten" can also mean nudes) for other painters in return for a day-wage. He died there in May 1577, famed as a quiet, happy, peaceful and pious man, much loved for his good mood. In reference to his name and crutch, he often said "Ik ben rijk en wel gestelt" ("I am rich and well off", a pun on his name Rijckaert (rijck means rich, while rijkaard means rich man), and having to use a crutch (gestelt means with a crutch, while welgesteld means well off).
In his old age, his vision was badly impaired, so that he was barely able to see what he was doing. When he put the paint on the panels so thickly that no one liked it, the paint often needed to be scraped off again, which upset him because he felt no one appreciated his work.
His portrait was painted by his friend Frans Floris
Frans Floris
Frans Floris, or more correctly Frans de Vriendt, called Floris was a Flemish painter. He was a member of a large family trained to the study of art in Flanders.-Biography:...
around 1560, as the central figure in a painting of St. Luke for the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke, probably because he was an upbeat and popular character in the guild. He was the father of the painter Lambert Ryck Aertsz, called Robbesant.
External links
- Aertsz., Rijckaert at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD)