The artistic career of Jacob Jordaens spanned the entirety of the 17th century in Antwerp, where he established himself as a central figure in Flemish Baroque painting. Unlike his contemporaries who sought inspiration in Italian travels, Jordaens remained in the Spanish Netherlands for his entire life, focusing his output on large-scale religious, mythological, and genre compositions.
Early Training and Membership
Born in 1593, Jordaens was the first of eleven children born to a linen merchant. He entered the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1607 as a pupil of Adam van Noort, with whom he lived for eight years. By 1615, he achieved the status of master water painter within the guild. In 1616, he married Catharina van Noort, the daughter of his teacher, and later became a member of the Gilde van de Armenbus, a support organization for artists. He served as dean of the Guild of Saint Luke for one year starting in 1621.
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Jordaens produced numerous works for the free market while securing significant commissions from local churches and the bourgeoisie. In 1628, he contributed to the decoration of the Augustine church in Antwerp, completing a dramatic painting of the Martyrdom of St. Apollonia. During the 1635 Joyous Entry of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand, he worked on large-scale decorative projects including a triumphal arch. His practice also extended to designing tapestries and prints, and he contributed to the series of mythological paintings commissioned by King Philip IV of Spain for the Torre de la Parada.
Style and Later Career
Though known for his genre scenes like The Bagpipe Player, Jordaens developed a substantial reputation for biblical and allegorical works. His later career involved prestigious royal commissions from figures such as King Charles I of England and Queen Christina of Sweden. He was known to avoid idealistic treatments of his subjects, maintaining a distinct approach that diverged from the courtly aspirations seen elsewhere. Late in his life, he underwent a religious conversion from Catholicism to Protestantism.
Fast facts
- Born: 1593, Antwerp
- Died: 1678, Antwerp
- Citizenship: Spanish Netherlands
- Occupations: painter, printmaker, draftsperson
- Notable works: Prometheus Bound, The Abduction of Europa, Mercury and Argus
- Primary residence: Antwerp
Questions readers ask
Did Jordaens ever travel to Italy for his art?
No, he remained in the Spanish Netherlands for his entire life and never made the traditional trip to Italy to study classical art.
What subjects did Jordaens paint?
He created biblical, mythological, and allegorical compositions, as well as portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes based on Flemish sayings.
Achievements
- Notable work: The Abduction of Europa
- Notable work: Prometheus Bound
- Notable work: Mercury and Argus
- Notable work: The Bagpipe Player
- Movement: Flemish Baroque painting and Baroque
