Jacob Jordaens was a Flemish painter of the Baroque period, famous for his genre scenes and his allegories, which breathed sensuality and longing, quite in line with the tastes of the main customers of paintings at the time. As a result, he became one of the most popular Flemish painters of the XVII century, achieved wealth, honor and respect and created many impressive paintings that still fascinate all lovers of painting.
The King drinks
Although, in the opinion of some particularly sophisticated critics, they are simplistic, the figures of people are somewhat exaggerated, humor vulgar and commonplace, as in the paintings of Pieter Bruegel the elder. Influenced the artistic style of Jordaens and the work of Rubens, however, Rubens wrote paintings on more sublime themes, well, Jordaens did not hesitate to display and ordinary scenes of everyday life.
Old men sing, young men play
Jordaens' early work is the embodiment of health and strength, the people in the paintings are of powerful physique, although they are prone to obesity - however, it is enough to remember Rubens' lush beauties and it will be easy to understand where the artist drew inspiration from. The compositions are complex and multifigure, because sometimes it seems that there are too many people in the paintings, to the detriment of the overall perception. There is little refinement, characteristic of the artwork of Boucher and Fragonard, but in excess of vitality and boundless fun. And such work better reflected the mindset of ordinary Flemish people, who were people in the mass of its simple and did not attach great importance to all sorts of refinements.
The Bean King
But later, when Jordaens adopted Protestantism, his artwork became stricter, the colors cooler, and the themes of the paintings moral. However, it is the early artwork that is most valuable - the later ones were often done by his apprentices and apprentices, so their quality is very uneven.
Self-portrait with his family
Jacob Jordaens was born into a wealthy merchant's family, was the eldest of his 11 children, and received an education that was quite tolerable for the time, as he had a beautiful handwriting, spoke fluent French and was familiar with myths - this knowledge came in especially handy when he was required to write stories on mythological themes, such as Prometheus Chained to a Rock.
Prometheus, chained to a rock.
At the age of 22 he married the daughter of his teacher Adam van Norte, and at the same time joined the guild of artists of Antwerp.
True, in Italy, Jordaens did not go to Italy, thoroughly painting Italian artists did not study, so his paintings are typically Flemish, but they are interesting and original. However, still familiarized with the work of a talented brawler Caravaggio, and the complex light and shade in his paintings, as well as the construction of plots and composition in many ways come from the artwork of the Italian master.
However, the main teacher and role model of Jordaens was Rubens.
Kandavl shows his wife to Gyges.
He even helped him from small sketches to create large-scale canvases that could be sold profitably to wealthy customers. Jordaens also founded his own art studio and recruited many apprentices to help him in his artwork. Painting according to Jordaens and some other Dutch artists at the time, - is the same craft, so do not neglect the help of apprentices. As a result, some of Jordaens' late artworks are now valued much lower than his early paintings, when he had to do everything himself. However, thanks to this approach, even not very rich people could afford to buy a painting from a real artist.
And Jordaens continued to paint in his own style, comic and full of characters, and even in scenes that did not provide for it in any way, for example, in paintings on religious subjects.
Peter finds a coin in a fish (Ferry to Antwerp)
When Rubens died, it was Jordaens who became the chief painter in Antwerp. He began to fulfill commissions for wealthy aristocrats and monarchs, for example, he completed the painting Perseus Releasing Andromeda, for King Philip IV of Spain.
Perseus frees Andromeda
By the way, nudity Jordaens was able to write and loved, so it is in the paintings of this artist a lot, but they are not vulgar, although his allegories - this embodied on the canvas hymn to sensuality and the then current ideas about female beauty.
Allegory of fertility
Jordaens lived 86 years - a decent term for that time, leaving behind a lot of paintings, which even now admire the vitality of the characters, peculiar humor and manner of execution.
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