Das Gehör by Jacob Adriaensz Backer, ca. 1635 Source: Wikipedia Commons

Jacob Adriaensz Backer, born 1608 at Harlingen, Dutch province of Friesland (where his father, Adriaen Tjercksz, a baker, was a deacon of the Waterlander Mennonite Church), died 27 August 1651 at Amsterdam, was a Dutch painter. He was first a pupil of Lambert Jacobsz, and later on of Rembrandt, whose way of painting he followed, without reaching the deep penetrating psychology of the master. Yet he was a painter of good reputation and his pictures were in high favor. An "Erection of the Cross" of 1633 is called a master piece. He chiefly painted portraits and groups (corporation and civic-guards pictures). He had many pupils, including Adriaen Backer. After 1650 the quality of his pictures is inferior to his earlier ones. Many of his paintings must have been lost. He also made many drawings. There is a self-portrait of him, now in the museum of Lyons (France). About his life very little is known; likely he was unmarried.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 204. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.