Pieter Lastman facts for kids

Pieter Lastman, The Angel Raphael Takes Leave of Old Tobit and his Son Tobias. This painting shows a scene from the Bible.

Pieter Lastman (born 1583, died 1633) was a famous Dutch painter. He is important because he painted many historical scenes. He is also well-known for teaching other famous artists, like Rembrandt and Jan Lievens. When Lastman painted, he paid close attention to details like faces, hands, and feet.

Early Life of Pieter Lastman

Pieter Lastman was born in the city of Amsterdam. He was the fourth child in his family. His father, Pieter Segersz, worked as a town official. His mother, Barber Jacobsdr, helped to value paintings and other items.

Education and Time in Italy

Pieter Lastman learned to paint from Gerrit Pietersz Sweelinck. Gerrit was the brother of a famous musician named Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck.

Around 1604 to 1607, Lastman traveled to Italy. This trip was very important for his art. In Italy, he was influenced by other great painters. He learned from artists like Caravaggio and Adam Elsheimer. Many painters from the Utrecht School were also inspired by Caravaggio a few years later.

Life Back in Amsterdam

After his time in Italy, Pieter Lastman returned to Amsterdam. He lived with his mother in a street called Sint Antoniesbreestraat. His neighbor was the mayor, Geurt van Beuningen.

Pieter Lastman never got married. He had once promised to marry the sister of Gerbrand Adriaensz Bredero, who was a Dutch writer. In 1632, Lastman's health was not good. Because of this, he moved in with his brother.

Death

Pieter Lastman died the year after moving in with his brother. He was buried in the Oude Kerk (Old Church) in Amsterdam. This happened on April 4, 1633.

Famous Students of Lastman

Pieter Lastman is especially known for being a teacher. Two of his most famous students were Rembrandt and Jan Lievens. Rembrandt never went to Italy himself. This means that he likely learned about the painting style of Caravaggio from Lastman. Caravaggio was known for using strong contrasts between light and shadow, called chiaroscuro.

Besides Rembrandt and Lievens, Lastman also taught other artists. These included Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Nicolaes Lastman, Pieter Pieterz Nedek, and Jan Albertsz Rotius.

Rembrandt often painted similar subjects to Lastman. Some of Rembrandt's well-known works, like "The Stoning of Saint Stephen," "The Baptism of the Eunuch," and "Sacrifice of Abraham," seem to be very influenced by Lastman. It is even possible that when Rembrandt was an apprentice, he might have drawn the first sketches for some of Lastman's paintings.

Gallery

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  Wedding Night of Tobias and Sarah, 1611, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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  Hagar's Farewell 1612, Hamburger Kunsthalle

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  Resurrection 1612, Getty Center

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  Juno Discovering Jupiter with Io, 1618, National Gallery

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  Orestes and Pylades Disputing at the Altar, 1614, Rijksmuseum

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  Jonah and the Whale, 1621, Museum Kunstpalast

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  The Triumph of Mordechai, 1624, Rembrandt House Museum

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  The Angel and Tobias with the Fish 1625, Gemeentelijk Museum Het Princessehof-Leeuwarden

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  Baptism of the Eunuch (1623)

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  Stoning of Saint Stephen - Drawing

Additional Information

• Murray, P. & L. (1997). Penguin Dictionary of Art and Artists (7th edition), p. 287, 436–438. London: Penguin Books. ISBN: 0-14-051300-0.

See also

In Spanish: Pieter Lastman para niños