#leyster

Happy birthday to Judith Leyster, who was born on this day in 1609. A Dutch Golden Age painter, she specialized in genre paintings and portraits. Leyster joined the Haarlem painters’ Guild of Saint Luke in 1633, one of only two women to do so in the 1600s. Although she was highly regarded by her contemporaries, her artistic career was short-lived, ending after she married fellow artist Jan Miense Molenaer in 1636. After her death, Leyster was almost entirely forgotten. Her works were either left unattributed or credited to her husband or Frans Hals—despite her distinctive signature, which featured her initials and a star (a clever play on her last name). It wasn’t until the late 1800s that she was “rediscovered” and once again recognized for her talent.

Learn more about the artist and watch this recording of our virtual talk "Rediscovering Judith Leyster" from earlier this year.

A central figure of the Dutch Golden Age, Judith Leyster was best known for her lively genre paintings. By age 24 she had become a member of the Haarlem painters’ guild and was financially successful. Although well-known during her lifetime and highly regarded by her contemporaries, Leyster and her work were forgotten after her death due to centuries of misattribution. Her legacy wasn’t restored until scholars began to question the absence of women in art history, and she remains an important example of the many women who have been omitted from the artistic canon.

Did you miss our virtual talk "Rediscovering Judith Leyster" last month? Watch here.

Happy birthday to Judith Leyster, who was born on this day in 1609. A central figure of the Dutch Golden Age, she was best known for her lively genre paintings. By age 24 she had become a member of the Haarlem painters’ guild and was financially successful. Although well-known during her lifetime and highly regarded by her contemporaries, Leyster and her work were forgotten after her death due to centuries of misattribution and neglect. Her legacy wasn’t restored until scholars began to question the absence of women in art history, and she remains an important example of the many women who have been omitted from the artistic canon.

Sometimes research completely changes our understanding of a work of art. In the case of this painting by Judith Leyster, we were clued in by an old copy of the painting that the scene was not originally as jolly as it seemed. Examination revealed that a skeleton Leyster painted standing between the two men had been covered up at some much later point to create a more lighthearted picture. Removal of the overpaint from the skeleton restores Leyster’s moralizing warning about overindulgence. See it today in Old Masters Now. 

Judith Leyster

(July 28, 1609 – February 10, 1660) was a Dutch painter of the Baroque period.

#OnThisDay - Judith Leyster was born on July 28th. In Haarlem, The Netherlands.

On Friday before the weekend, a painting suits her - The Concert was created around 1633.

Part 3, research point 1 – self portraits

The brief is to research self portraits by various artists over a broad time span and to focus on five or six that appeal. The notes are to include comments on whether or not the artist portrays themselves in the process of painting/as an artist along with thoughts about what the purpose of the portrait might be and the impression the artist may be trying to convey.

This is very similar to a rese…