Leiden Guild of St. Luke
Encyclopedia
The Leiden Guild of Saint Luke refers to three artist collectives in Leiden; the Leidsche St. Lucas Gilde dating from 1648, the newer Leidse Tekenacademie established in 1694, and the collective known as Ars Aemula Naturae (art competes with nature) established in 1799.
had kept a workshop that was more or less seen as a guild. Leiden in the middle ages was a small city in the Northern Netherlands, smaller than Gouda or Haarlem. Leiden seems to have not had a specific guild for painters prior to March 10th, 1648, when Gerard Dou
and Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel
signed a charter and founded the Leidse Sint Lucasgilde with his colleagues Gabriel Metsu
, Jan Steen
, Joris van Schooten
, David Bailly
and Pieter de Ring
. This collective was for trades connected to the art industry. After the change of governance that the siege of Leiden
caused, Joris van Schooten issued his first proposal to the city council for a St. Luke Guild in 1609 and again in 1610. His petitions were refused for being too Catholic. Previously, the Leiden artists had been unified in the workshop of the Leiden councilman Isaac Nicolai. Later collectives were founded as a Leiden-based art academy along the lines of the Confrerie Pictura
in The Hague
.
In 1694, Willem van Mieris
, Carel de Moor
and Jacob Toorenvliet
began a true drawing academy with evening classes for artists where they could draw from live models.
Guilds were disbanded during the French occupation, so the collective became a society and in 1799 the name changed to Ars Aemula Naturae, which still exists today. The society meets in an old building on Pieterskerkgracht 9 since 1859. The building is a rijksmonument
and contains some rare paintings on the ceiling by one of the earliest guild members, Martin Zaagmolen
.
History
Like other Dutch cities, Leiden required membership in the guilds in order to sell wares falling under those guilds. In the middle ages, Lucas van LeydenLucas van Leyden
Lucas van Leyden , also named either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, was a Dutch engraver and painter, born and mainly active in Leiden...
had kept a workshop that was more or less seen as a guild. Leiden in the middle ages was a small city in the Northern Netherlands, smaller than Gouda or Haarlem. Leiden seems to have not had a specific guild for painters prior to March 10th, 1648, when Gerard Dou
Gerard Dou
Gerrit Dou , also known as Gerard and Douw or Dow, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, whose small, highly-polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders...
and Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel
Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel
-Biography:He probably learned painting from his father, also a painter, but who died when he was still quite young, in 1636. That is the same year that he moved to Amsterdam, where he stayed until 1647, whereupon he moved to Leiden. According to Houbraken he was the son of a Mennonite preacher in...
signed a charter and founded the Leidse Sint Lucasgilde with his colleagues Gabriel Metsu
Gabriel Metsu
Gabriël Metsu was a Dutch painter of history paintings, genre works and portraits.- Life :Metsu was the son of the Flemish painter Jacques Metsu , who lived most of his days at Leiden, and Jacomijntje Garniers, his third wife, whom he married in 1625. Jacomijntje was the widow of a painter with...
, Jan Steen
Jan Steen
Jan Havickszoon Steen was a Dutch genre painter of the 17th century . Psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour are marks of his trade.-Life:...
, Joris van Schooten
Joris van Schooten
Joris van Schooten was the brother of Frans van Schooten and a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:According to Houbraken he was born with a talent for drawing, and his teachers were upset that he drew animals on everything he was given...
, David Bailly
David Bailly
-Biography:Bailly was born at Leyden in the Dutch Republic, the son of a Flemish immigrant, calligrapher and fencing master, Peter Bailly. As a draftsman, David was pupil of his father and the copper engraver Jacques de Gheyn....
and Pieter de Ring
Pieter de Ring
Pieter de Ring, or Ryng was a Dutch Golden Age painter of still lifes. became famous for his opulent, flashy still lifes or banquet pieces with fruit, a lobster, a goblet, shrimps, oysters, a rug and Chinese porcelain...
. This collective was for trades connected to the art industry. After the change of governance that the siege of Leiden
Siege of Leiden
The Siege of Leiden occurred during the Eighty Years' War in 1573 and 1574, when the Spanish attempted to capture the rebellious city of Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands, and ultimately failed.-Background:...
caused, Joris van Schooten issued his first proposal to the city council for a St. Luke Guild in 1609 and again in 1610. His petitions were refused for being too Catholic. Previously, the Leiden artists had been unified in the workshop of the Leiden councilman Isaac Nicolai. Later collectives were founded as a Leiden-based art academy along the lines of the Confrerie Pictura
Confrerie Pictura
The Confrerie Pictura was a more or less academic club of artists founded in 1656 in The Hague, by local art painters, who were unsatisfied by the Guild of Saint Luke there.-History:The guild of St...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
In 1694, Willem van Mieris
Willem van Mieris
Willem van Mieris was a Dutch painter. He was a son of Frans van Mieris sr. and brother of Jan van Mieris....
, Carel de Moor
Carel de Moor
Carel de Moor was a Dutch Golden Age etcher and painter. He was a pupil of Gerard Dou.-Biography:Carel de Moor was born in Leiden. According to Houbraken, his father was an art dealer who wanted him to study languages and only allowed him to study art when his talent for drawing surfaced at a...
and Jacob Toorenvliet
Jacob Toorenvliet
Jacob Toorenvliet was a Dutch Golden Age painter of genre works.-Biography:Toorenvliet was born in Leiden, to Abraham Toorenvliet , a glass painter and drawing instructor. The younger Toorenvliet first studied art with Frans van Mieris the Elder and Matthijs Naiveu, who were also studying with his...
began a true drawing academy with evening classes for artists where they could draw from live models.
Guilds were disbanded during the French occupation, so the collective became a society and in 1799 the name changed to Ars Aemula Naturae, which still exists today. The society meets in an old building on Pieterskerkgracht 9 since 1859. The building is a rijksmonument
Rijksmonument
A rijksmonument is a National Heritage Site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.-History and criteria:...
and contains some rare paintings on the ceiling by one of the earliest guild members, Martin Zaagmolen
Martin Zaagmolen
Martin Zaagmolen or Martinus Saeghmolen was a Dutch painter.Houbraken notices him as a painter of history, and describes a picture of the Last Judgment by him, in which were introduced a great number of figures, very incorrectly drawn, and feebly coloured. Saeghmolen operated from 1640 to 1660...
.
Other guild members registered in Leiden
- Abraham BegeynAbraham BegeynAbraham Begeyn , was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:Begeyn was born in Leiden. Though perhaps known mostly for his Italianate landscapes and cattle in the manner of Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem, Begyn was a highly skilled painter active in many genres, who traveled widely...
- Evert CollierEvert CollierEvert Collier was a Dutch painter known for vanitas still-life and trompe l'oeil paintings...
- Matthijs NaiveuMatthijs NaiveuMatthys or Matthijs Naiveu was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:According to Houbraken he was trained in drawing by Abraham Toorenvliet , a glass painter and drawing instructor , and he learned the art of painting from Gerrit Dou...
- Ary de VoisAry de VoisAry de Vois was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:Ary de Vois was the son of Alewijn de Vois from Utrecht, who was organist in the Pieterskerk, Leiden, in 1635. Ary became a pupil in Utrecht of Nikolaus Knüpfer, who also taught Jan Steen. Ary then returned to Leiden to study with Abraham van...
- Roelof Jansz van VriesRoelof Jansz van VriesRoelof van Vries , was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:According to the RKD he is known for landscapes in the manner of more famous Haarlem landscapists such as Jacob van Ruisdael, Meindert Hobbema, Jan Wynants and Philips Wouwerman. He mostly signed his works as Rvries...