Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862): de society schilder van de Hollandse Romantiek

Curator

Esther Lipke-Deetman

From the museum website

During his day Jan Adam Kruseman was an extremely successful artist whose 500 portraits and 100 or so genre and historical pieces appealed to the taste of his wealthy patrons. Among the prominent portraits that Kruseman painted were those of King Willem I, King Willem II and his wife Anna Paulovna, and the Russian tsar Alexander I. Numerous leading figures of the Dutch aristocracy or wealthy upper classes had themselves immortalised by his hand or bought his genre or historical paintings. Kruseman was inimitable in conveying wealth and status in his work, reflecting the spirit of Romanticism. His style was rapidly overshadowed by the emerging Haagse School and other new movements and his work became consigned to oblivion. With the renewed international interest in the art of this period the moment has arrived to focus attention once again on the one of major exponents of the Romantic era in the Netherlands. For the first time this exhibition will be giving an impression of the versatility of Jan Adam Kruseman's oeuvre in forty paintings. Personal belongings of the artist which were used in the portraits will also be on display such as precious jewels and magnificent costumes.

Biography

Born in Haarlem, Jan Adam Kruseman left for Amsterdam at the age of fifteen to have painting lessons from his second cousin Cornelis Kruseman (1797-1857). He moved to Brussels in 1821 where he studied with François-Joseph Navez (1787-1869) and the famous Jacques Louis David (1748-1825). After a brief stay in Paris, Kruseman settled in Amsterdam in 1825, where he was soon successful. As director of the Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, the royal academy for the arts in Amsterdam and as co-founder in 1839 of the well-known artists' society Arti et Amicitiae he occupied an important position in the cultural life of his period.

Research

Monograph - Kruseman meticulously noted the names of those whose portrait he painted in four notebooks. These were an important source of information in the research done in the past years into his life and work. The research has resulted in a detailed monograph with an illustrated catalogue of his oeuvre published by Koninklijke Drukkerij G.J. Thieme to coincide with the opening of the exhibition. Aspects highlighted in the text include Kruseman and his relationship with the royal family, his patrons and the nineteenth century lifestyle that is reflected in his paintings.

Publication

Jan Adam Kruseman 1804-1862
Esther Lipke-Deetman
Monograph and catalogue raisonné, publication gave rise to exhibition Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862): de society schilder van de Hollandse Romantiek. held in 2003 in Apeldoorn (Paleis Het Loo)
Nijmegen (G.J. Thieme) 2002
ISBN 90-75980-24-8

Sponsors

Nachenius, Tjeenk & Co Effectenbankiers is sponsoring the exhibition.
The municipality of Apeldoorn has also contributed.