Jan Albertsz Rotius
Jan Albertsz. Rotius (Medemblik, Oktober 20, 1624 - Hoorn, 1666) was a Dutch Golden Age portrait painter, and father (and teacher) of the flower painter Jacob Rotius.
Biography
He was baptized ‘Albert Jansz. Rootgies’, but he later latinized his name to Rotius, which was garbled by Houbraken into Roodseus, possibly because in his marriage document he is listed as Rootseijus. According to Houbraken, he heard that his portraits were as good as Bartholomeus van der Helst, but he noted that he had been unable to make this judgement with his own eyes and doubted the veracity of this statement himself. He said that his schuttersstukken were well known, being painted in Hoorn in 1651, '52, and '55, when he was aged 40. This would place his birthdate from between 1612 and 1615, which would fit with his statement that he had been a pupil of Pieter Lastman[1], who died in 1633. If he was born in 1624, then he was only 9 years old when Lastman died, which didn't give him much time to learn from him.
According to the Hoorn archives, he married Maartje Ambrosiusdr in 1643[2]. In his testament dated Oktober 16th, 1666, he left all of his prints and drawings to his son Jacob Rotius or Rootius (1644-1682). He died a few days later, aged 42, and was buried in the Grote Kerk in Hoorn. Of his seven children, only three lived to adulthood. Houbraken claimed that Jacob was a pupil of Jan Davidsz. de Heem and was quite successful as a flower painter[3], but died of melancholy at 50.
Rotius's schutterstukken were painted quite soon after similar paintings in Amsterdam were completed by van der Helst and Govert Flink. Comparative study shows he was influenced by these paintings, and perhaps was encouraged to achieve similar effects by his patrons. Hoorn competed with Amsterdam at that time as a seaport.
External links
- Portraits in the Westfries museum, Hoorn (Type "Rotius".)
- Recently auctioned works
- Rotius in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
References
- ^ Jan Albertsz. Roodtseus biography in De groote schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen (1718) by Arnold Houbraken, courtesy of the Digital library for Dutch literature
- ^ Trouwboecken der Noorder- en Oosterkerk (Hoorn)
- ^ Christies lot: Grapes, Corn, Flowers by Jacob Rootius
- B.J.A. Renckens, ‘De Hoornse portretschilder Jan Albertsz. Rotius’, in: Nederlandsch Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 2 (1948-1949), pp. 167-232.
- B.J.A. Renckens, ‘Enkele notities bij het portret van David Pietersz. de Vries’, in: Oud Holland 76 (1961), pp. 113-114.
- Jan Campo Weyerman, De leevensbeschryvingen der Nederlandsche Konst-schilders en Konst-schilderessen, ed. E. Boucquet, H. Scheurleer, F. Boucquet en J. de Jongh, 3 dln, ’s-Gravenhage 1729 (dl. 4, ed. Ab. Blussé en zoon, Dordrecht 1769), dl. II, pp. 123-124.
- H.F. Wijnman, ‘De Stillevenschilder Jacob Rotius, in: Oud Holland XLVII (1930), pp. 60-67.
- Adriaan van der Willigen en Fred G. Meijer, A Dictionary of Dutch and Flemish Still-life Painters Working in Oils, 1525-1725, Leiden 2003.