Jan Baptist Weenix

Jan Baptist Weenix (1621 to 1659) was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age, born near Amsterdam's harbor as the son of an architect. Despite a brief career he was very productive and versatile. His favourite subjects were Italian landscapes with large figures among ruins, seaside views and, later in life, large still lifes of dead game or dogs, and he was mainly responsible for introducing the Italian harbor scene into Dutch art. He studied first under Jan Micker, then in Utrecht under Abraham Bloemaert, and later in Amsterdam under Claes Corneliszoon Moeyaert. In 1639 he married Josijntje d'Hondecoeter, and in 1643 he travelled to Rome with Nicolaes Berchem, where he joined the Bentvueghels under the nickname Ratel and worked for Pope Innocent X. In 1649 he became a master of the guild of St. Luke in Utrecht. After the death of his brother-in-law Gijsbert d'Hondecoeter he trained his nephew Melchior d'Hondecoeter together with his own son Jan Weenix.