Jan Baptist de Wael facts for kids
Jan Baptist de Wael (born 1632, died after 1669) was a talented Flemish painter and printmaker. He spent most of his working life in Italy.
Life of Jan Baptist de Wael
Jan Baptist de Wael was born into a family of artists in Antwerp, a city in modern-day Belgium. His grandfather, also named Jan de Wael, was a well-known painter. He was even featured in a famous collection of portraits by the artist Anthony van Dyck.
Jan Baptist's father, Lucas de Wael, was also an artist. He was a painter and engraver, and he also bought and sold art and fancy goods. Lucas had lived in Italy for many years, especially in the city of Genoa, with his brother Cornelis de Wael.
After Lucas returned to Antwerp, he and Cornelis (who stayed in Genoa) started a very successful business. They traded art and luxury items between Italy and Flanders (the region where Antwerp is). Cornelis's art studio in Genoa became a central meeting place for Flemish artists visiting or living in the city. He helped them settle in, recommended them to clients, and even set up rules for art competitions. When Anthony van Dyck visited Genoa, he stayed with the Wael brothers, and Cornelis became one of his closest helpers there.
In 1642, Jan Baptist de Wael traveled to Genoa to become a student of his uncle Cornelis. Around 1656, Cornelis moved to Rome to avoid a serious outbreak of the plague in Genoa. Jan Baptist probably went with him, as records show he later lived in Rome. In Rome, he was part of a group called the Bentvueghels. This was a club for Dutch and Flemish artists working in the city.
We don't know exactly when or where Jan Baptist de Wael died.
Artworks by Jan Baptist de Wael
Jan Baptist de Wael is best known for his prints. These include pictures for religious stories and everyday scenes (called genre prints). Many of his religious artworks were based on designs made by his uncle Cornelis.
There is only one painting that we know for sure was made by Jan Baptist de Wael. It's called The Virgin and Saint Rosalia of Palermo and is owned by a private collector in Spain. This painting shows influences from the famous artist Rubens, as well as from Italian art styles.
You can find many of his prints in the collections of the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands and the British Museum in London.
Images for kids
-
This painting, The Prodigal Son, is attributed to Jan Baptist de Wael and Cornelis de Wael.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Bautista de Wael para niños
