The eighth of nine children, Judith Jans Leyster was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, in July 1609.
Her father, a brewer who was born Jan Willemsz but took the last name “Leyster,” which means “lodestar,” in 1603, was a weaver named Trijn Jaspers.
According to art historians, Judith Leyster received painting instruction from a young age, possibly under the tutelage of renowned Haarlem-based painter Frans Pietersz de Grebber. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, several academics speculate that Leyster and the painter Frans Hals may have collaborated as well due to their aesthetic similarities.
How did Judith Leyster become famous?
Leyster seems to have produced much of the output we are familiar with between 1629 and 1635. She specialized in mixed-genre paintings with indoor, enclosed settings and frequent inclusions of both still life and portraiture elements.
She emulated the general aesthetic of numerous prominent painters of the era, including Jan Steen, Frans Hals, and his brothers Dirck and Frans. The Utrecht Caravaggisti, a group of artists who were similarly influenced by Caravaggio’s work, had a significant impact on her as well.
Leyster would have undoubtedly interacted with some of the artists during this period, despite the fact that this scene only flourished for a short while and terminated in or about 1630.
What art style did Judith Leyster use?
Judith Leyster used Baroque and Dutch Golden Age art styles. Serenade and Jolly Topper, two of Leyster’s earliest known works, bear her extremely distinctive monogram, JL, which includes a star to denote the meaning of her name.
This element was crucial to her legacy and prevented her from sharing the fate of other female artists who have been lost to history. It offered a distinct signature that connected numerous paintings that had previously been attributed to her male coworkers.
