Jan Vermeyen

January Vermeyen ( * before 1559 in Brussels; † before October 15, 1606 in Prague ) was a famous Flemish goldsmith, jeweler, medalist and Wachsbossierer of Rudolphinian mannerism.

Life

He was born in Brussels as son of the court painter January Cornelisz Vermeyen learned in Antwerp and worked until 1590. He married there in 1588 with Adriana. From 1590 he was enrolled in the goldsmiths' guild in Frankfurt am Main. He moved home in 1592 to Prague, where he worked as court and chamber goldsmith, jeweler and medalist Wachsbossierer worked in the Prague Castle for the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II from 1597. He bought a house in Prague in Lesser Town, in St. Thomas Parish district.

Works

Vermeyen created for the Emperor many gems and jewels, especially around 1600, his portrait of diamonds in golden frame. 1602 he made a new golden imperial crown with four relief scenes from the life of Rudolph II. This beautiful crown is adorned with 194 diamonds in South America (the largest has 186 carats), continue with emeralds, rubies, pearls and sea up with a mammoth sapphire. Was used from 1804 until 1918 as Austrian imperial crown. Today the crown is in the Secular Treasury in the Hofburg in Vienna, exhibited, as well as other goldsmith and jeweler works from the Art in Prague Chamber Emperor Rudolph II

He mounted several board vessels from exotic natural materials (eg Narvalzahn, bezoar ) in golden mount. Vermeyen often cooperated with the Prague Hofsteinschneider, Glyptiker Ottavio Miseroni his workshop and Hofmühle in Prague - Bubeneč and with the Glyptiker Alessandro Masnago in Milan. His figural ornaments and grotesques in colorful colored enamel are executed after designs by Hertig van leg. His medals are IOHAN FORMEI or H. FORMAID signed.