A monograph on Jan van Mieris (1660-1690) has been published by Margreet van der Hut. Jan van Mieris, His Life and Work includes a biography of the artist as well as a comprehensive catalogue of the artist’s oeuvre, including 41 paintings, three mezzo-tints and seven drawings. This study is helpful in understanding the double talent of the young painter who made Horatius’ device Ut Pictura Poesis (as is painting so is poetry) his own.

Jan van Mieris was the oldest son and pupil of the famous Leiden painter Frans van Mieris I (1635-1681), who in turn had studied under Gerard Dou (1613-1675) and Abraham van den Tempel (1622-1672). Jan and his brother Willem (1622-1647) followed in the footsteps of their father by working in his manner. This is why their works are often difficult to distinguish from one another and nearly every painting of Jan van Mieris has been attributed to Frans I, Willem or even Willem’s son Frans II (1689-1763) at some point. Jan was not only a painter but a poet as well. Some five poems and a lyrical version of the play Aminta by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso (1544-1595) have been preserved in a manuscript at the University Leiden.

Jan van Mieris: His Life and Work
Margreet van der Hut
182 pp. with 95 illus.
Zaandijk (Uitgeverij CASAE) January 2021
ISBN: 978-90-831031-1-2