Born 1593 in Antwerp, died there in 1678. Jordaens is one of the great Flemish artists of the Baroque era. At first he was a pupil of Rubens’ teacher Adam van Noort, then he worked in Rubens’ workshop from 1618 onwards. He was never in Italy and the caravaggesque elements in his pictures come from Caravaggio’s northern imitators. After Rubens’ death in 1640 Jordaens became the leading artistic personality in Antwerp. His strong, sometimes even downright rough style synthesises themes of refined humanistic as well as popular culture.
Lit.: Roger-A. D'Hulst: Jacob Jordaens Mercatorfonds, Antwerpen 1982; Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678): Tableaux et tapis series, cat. R.-A. D'Hulst, Nora De Poorter & Marc Vandenven, publ. Hans Devisscher & Nora de Poorter, Vol. 1-2, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Anvers 1993 [ex. cat.]; De Maere & Wabbes: Illustrated Dictionary, Vol. I and II, 1994.