Jan Luyken: 17th Century Dutch Artist

Jan Luyken, born in Amsterdam April 16, 1649, was an important 17th Century artist and poet. He worked primarily as an etcher following Rembrandt's period using copper plates. As a poet, his work ranged from secular love songs to religious poetry. His work as a lithographer became a very important influence on many artists following his period.

A year before his marriage, he published "De duyste lier" (German lyric) in 1671, a volume of poetry. His religious poetry was inspired by the writings of the German mystic Jakob Bohme. His Dutch contributions influenced several students and other novice poets, alike.

Though he never became famous for his work as a poet, he still continued to write to become closer to his Christian beliefs. It was not until a year after his marriage in 1672 that he became baptized into his religion. Much of his work following his baptism reflects this change in his life.

Luyken's, also known as Johannes Luiken, best known accomplishment was the publication of a picture book entitled "Het Menselyk Bedryf" in 1694. His son, Casper (1672-1708), helped in the creation of this publication. This book contained a collection of engravings from which he became famous.

Flipping through this book at http://www.janluyken.com you can see the diversity of his style. His ability to capture the comical side of his subject while remaining true to their spirit is captivating. Ideally, you would assume his work to be that of children's book illustration, but he did not limit himself to this venture. Instead, he focused on pursuits more geared to his rhythm of life.

Despite his career as a book illustrator and the success gained from this book publication, he withdrew from society and died in poverty April 5,1712. Upon researching this artist, I thought it ironic he should live beyond the life span of his son, Casper. No mention is made of his wife's name or her years of life. I run across this a lot when researching artists from this time period. It seems the lives of those touching their own are not as important. We all know woman and children did not have a voice until centuries later, but it did not occur to me until researching these pieces it would be reflected as such through the historians as well. Funny how that happens, isn't it?

I recommend visiting the site containing reproductions of his bookplates to anyone interested in etching, lithography, or anything of the like. If you have not learned of this trade or the detail and time consumption involved, you will certainly get a feel for it when viewing these pieces. A reminder, the site is located at http://www.janluyken.com.

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