Johannes Spilberg

Johann (es) Spilberg (* April 30, 1619 in Dusseldorf, † August 10, 1690 ) was a German - Dutch court painter to the Count Palatine Wolfgang Wilhelm, the Elector Philipp Wilhelm and the Elector Johann Wilhelm of the Palatinate. His work is assigned to the Dutch Baroque painting.

Life

Spilberg was born into a Hofmalerfamilie. His uncle, Gabriel Spilberg, was a Spanish court painter. The father, John Spilberg the Elder, was also became court painter under the jülich - kleve - Berg Duke Johann Wilhelm. As a deacon of the Reformed church ( 1624 ) and as a councilor of these belonged to the bourgeoisie of the prestigious jülich - Berg Residenz Dusseldorf city. After John Spilberg had finished school in addition to a first painters training he received from his father, where he had been taught in Latin, in other languages ​​and in various scientific disciplines, Duke Wolfgang Wilhelm in 1640 sent him to a personally signed letter of recommendation to the teaching of Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp. Since Rubens died in the same year, Spilberg went to Amsterdam for painters Govaert Flinck in a seven-year training. Through history paintings and portraits, he soon earned a good reputation, in 1650 the order of the Amsterdam City Council brought him to paint a rifle company with Harmen van de Poll Gijsbertsz as captain. On July 3, 1649 he married the Marrite of Amsterdam, Gerrits, who bore him two sons and three daughters, in 1652 the daughter Adriana, who later became a painter and wife of the Düsseldorf painter William Breck (s) velt ( 1658-1687 ) and Eglon van der Neer ( 1636-1703 ). In the early 1650s Duke Wolfgang Wilhelm called him as court painter to be at the court in Düsseldorf, but returned in 1653 Spilberg already back to Amsterdam. 1661, he was re-appointed to Dusseldorf, where he held the position of court painter until his death in 1690. From 1687 Spilberg had there own house in Knights Street.

Work

As an early masterpiece Spilbergs applies the group portrait of the Amsterdam Archers of 1650th As Palatinate - neuburgischer Spilberg court painter portrayed a variety of royal persons. Within his portraiture takes the picture woman in fancy dress as a so-called Tronje, as a literary or allegorical figure in fancy clothes and free scenic design, a special position. Because in it the same person was the model as in the portrait Jael, its origin probably around 1644. It stands in the tradition of art of Rembrandt and his pupils. Characteristic of Spilberg is the change of the style of painting within an image; so show his portraits of fine crafted surfaces, such as for faces and chest, in an environment sketchily painted parts, such as garments and backgrounds. As Allegory of the Peace of Westphalia Spilberg created in 1648 the cease- life ceasefire.

As portraits Spilbergs are obtained, inter alia:

• Portrait of the Duke Wolfgang Wilhelm of Pfalz- Neuburg, 1648
• Portrait of Katharina Charlotte of the Palatinate- Zweibrücken, 1648
• Portrait of Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse- Darmstadt with her daughter, the future Empress Eleonore, 1654/1655
• Portrait of Sophie Eleonore of Saxony with their grandsons, 1667