Jan & Jacob Pynas
(1583 - 1631) |
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Secular Narratives, Historic Narratives, Mythological Narratives Art Work
| Name: |
Jan & Jacob Pynas |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Place of Birth: |
Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
| Nationality: |
Dutch |
| Birth: |
1583 |
| Death: |
1631 |
| Website: |
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| Past Auctions: |
Click Here |
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Quick Facts
| Known For: |
Secular Narratives, Historic Narratives, Mythological Narratives |
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| Method: |
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| Style: |
Baroque |
| Fine Art Profession(s): |
Painting
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Biography
| Grouped among the important pre-Rembrandtists, Jan and Jacob Pynas are thought to have had some influence on Rembrandt. Both artists traveled to Italy in 1605 with Pieter Lastman (Rembrandt's teacher), and Houbraken reports that after Rembrandt spent months with Lastman in Leiden, he also studied with Jacob Pynas for some months. Some scholars feel that Jan, the elder brother, was the more likely influence on the young Rembrandt, pointing to Jan's color tonalities and in particular to his handling of such subjects as the Raising of Lazarus. In Italy both brothers must have been in the circle of Adam Elsheimer and Hendrick Goudt. Jan returned to Amsterdam in 1607 and in 1610 was reported living in Leiden. In 1613 and 1616 he was noted in Amsterdam. He may have gone back to Rome in 1615. An inventory of Rembrandt's effects in 1656 included three works by Jan and none by Jacob. However, since both artists signed their paintings "J. Pynas," a distinction between the two is sometimes difficult to make. Only a few fully signed works survive. Those that do, such as The Departure of Hagar (signed and dated 1614, Guernsey, Collection of Daan Cevat) and the story of Joseph's Cloak Being Shown to Jacob (signed and dated 1618, St. Petersburg, Hermitage) demonstrate a style clearly reminiscent of Lastman but also influenced by Elsheimer. Clearly delineated figures in carefully constructed narratives tell Jan's stories directly and with subdued yet palpable drama. Both artists produced mainly small scale cabinet pictures on panel or copper. Jacob lived longer (his last known work, in the Lugt Collection, Paris, is dated 1656) and since Jan signed above Jacob on documents, Jacob is assumed to be the younger of the two artists. In Italy, Jacob responded to Elsheimer (and through him, to Andrea Mantegna), and some scholars have suggested a connection with Carlo Saraceni. Jacob's earliest dated known work, an Adoration of the Magi (signed and dated 1617 or 1613, Hartford, Wadsworth Atheneum), daringly places the central characters of the subject (Mary, Christ, and two Magi) to one side and nearly overpowers that group with the incidental anecdotal details (such as the Balthazar dismounting his horse) at the other. Such an original interpretation of well-established subject matter demonstrates Jacob's talents. Jacob's oeuvre is also given a number of small, carefully rendered landscapes, a la Elsheimer, with biblical or mythological subjects. |
Samples of Work
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