Jan Carel Vierpeyl or Jan Carel VierpylOther name variations: 'Jan Carel Vierpeijl' and 'Jan Carel Vierpijl'. First name sometimes also as 'Jan-Carel'. (c. 1675 – in or after 1723) was a Flemish painter known mainly for his family portraits and genre scenes of merry and gallant companies.Jan Carel Vierpeyl at the Netherlands Institute for Art History
Life Details about the life of Vierpeyl are very scarce. He was enrolled in 1698 at the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke as a pupil of Jacob Balthasar Peeters.Ph. Rombouts and Th. van Lerius, De liggeren en andere historische archieven der Antwerpsche sint Lucasgilde, van 1453–1615, Volume 2, Antwerp, 1872–1876, p. 607 It has been deduced from this date that Vierpeyl was likely born somewhere between 1665 and 1685. Jacob Balthasar Peeters was an architectural painter.Jacob Balthasar Peeters at the Netherlands Institute for Art History Balthasar van den Bossche is mentioned as another master of Vierpeyl.
The artist was active in Antwerp between 1697 and 1717 and his last known dated work is dated 1723. In 1616–1617, Josep Verduren is registered in the register of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke as pupil of Vierpeyl.Ph. Rombouts and Th. van Lerius, De liggeren en andere historische archieven der Antwerpsche sint Lucasgilde, van 1453–1615, Volume 2, Antwerp, 1872–1876, p. 706
It is not clear whether he was related to, or even the father of, the sculptor and architect Simon Vierpyl, who is presumed to have been born in 1725 in London, where he trained with the Flemish sculptor Peter Scheemakers.Vierpyl, Simon, in: Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720–1940 A painting by Jan Carel Vierpeyl dated 1721 in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, which was believed in the past to depict the philosopher Francis Hutcheson and his daughter, may point to a stay in Great Britain by Jan Carel Vierpeyl.Portrait of a man and his daughter, Vierpeyl, Jan Carel (1697–1723) at RIdIM databaseNicola Figgis, Brendan Rooney, Irish Paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland, Volume 1 National Gallery of Ireland], The Gallery, 2001, p. 334 After 1723, all trace of the artist is lost.
Work
While some 19th century art historians mention history and vanitas paintings by Vierpeyl, the currently known work of Vierpeyl consists mainly of individual and family portraits and genre scenes.Christiaan Kramm, De levens en werken der Hollandsche en Vlaamsche kunstschilders, beeldhouwers, graveurs en bouwmeesters, van den vroegsten tot op onzen tijd. Gebroeders Diederichs, Amsterdam 1857–1864, p. 1745
The family portraits typically depict the larger or smaller family together with the family dog in a formal indoor setting. The ancestors of the sitters are also included through their portraits that are hung on the back wall. The Portrait of a Man and his Daughter dated 1721(National Gallery of Ireland) depicts a seated man with a quill in his hand. His standing teenage daughter is holding a book and is pointing to a harpsichord in the room. The lid of the harpsichord is open and the painting on the inside of the lid is in the Flemish and French tradition. The wall behind the sitters is covered with ancestor portraits in oval frames.
The genre works of Vierpeyl are in the style of merry companies and typically depict a group of men and woman engaged in music making, drinking, dancing and courting. Some of the scenes depict gallant gatherings while others possibly involve courtesans or prostitutes.
The religiously themed Exhumation of the bones of St Dymphna and St Gerebernus in the St Dymphna Church in Geel, Belgium is attributed to Vierpeyl.Jan Carel Vierpeyl, Exhumation of the bones of St Dymphna and St Gerebernus at BALaT
Works of Vierpeyl are in the collections of the Brukenthal National Museum, the Pushkin Museum and the National Gallery of Ireland.Provisional list of Dutch and Flemish paintings in the Brukenthal Museum, Sibiu at CodartJan Carel Vierpeyl, The concert at the Pushkin Museum
References
External links