JACOBSZ., Lambert - b. ~1598 Amsterdam, d. 1636 Leeuwarden - WGA

JACOBSZ., Lambert

(b. ~1598 Amsterdam, d. 1636 Leeuwarden)

Dutch painter. He was the son of a well-to-do Mennonite cloth merchant in Amsterdam. He served his apprenticeship there among the artists now called the Pre-Rembrandtists. After his marriage in 1620, commemorated by the poet Joost van den Vondel (1587-1639), he settled in Leeuwarden, his wife’s native city, where he became a preacher in the Mennonite community and worked primarily as a painter. He was also active as an art dealer, as is known from his estate inventory, which records transactions in Amsterdam with the Mennonite art dealer and patron of Rembrandt, Hendrick van Uylenburgh. Two of Jacobsz.’s pupils were Govaert Flinck and Jacob Backer. His son, the painter Abraham van den Tempel probably also studied with him before becoming Backer’s pupil c. 1642-46.

Elisha and Gehazi

The painting illustrates the Old Testament story of Elisha confronting his servant, Gehazi (2 Kings 5: 25-26). It depicts a standing boy on the left, his back turned towards the viewer and averting his eyes as a seated greybeard raises an admonishing forefinger to the right.

Naaman was a commander of the army of Syria. He was a good commander but he suffered from leprosy. Naaman’s wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. Naaman tells his lord this and he is sent to Israel with a letter to the king. The king of Israel didn’t know what to do, yet Elisha came to the king asking to see Naaman. Elisha advised Naaman to bathe seven times in the river Jordan. Although sceptical, Naaman was convinced to do as Elisha had counseled him, and he was cured. Out of gratitude he offered Elisha six talents of silver, but the prophet refused. His servant Gehazi, on the other hand, considered that Elisha may have insulted Naaman by his refusal, followed him and asked for two Talents and some clothes, which he was duly given, and hid in his house. When questioned by Elisha he denied everything, infuriating his master, who saw through his servant and struck him down with Naaman’s disease.

Send Postcard Learn More

Joseph's Brothers on the Road from Egypt

Best known for his paintings with a historical subject, Jacobsz. painted several landscapes with biblical staffage, such as this characteristic work depicting Joseph’s brothers on the road from Egypt held by the centurion and his soldiers (GENESIS, 44: 5-6). These pictures closely relate to works by the pre-Rembrandtists, such as Pieter Lastman, Nicolaes Moeyaert and Jacob Pynas.

Send Postcard Learn More

St Paul and the Soothsayer of Philippi

Saint Paul encounters a demon possessed woman known as Python (Acts 16). She was popular at Philippi as a soothsayer whom people paid for prophecies. Those aspiring to be kings and rulers would vie for her endorsement to gain acceptance from among the people. Large parts of Greece fell to Philip of Macedon because Philip bribed the Python priestess to prophesy he would conquer. When Paul is at Philippi, this Python female-soothsayer followed him around for many days in the city.

Send Postcard Learn More

The Disobedient Prophet

In his early period Lambert Jacobsz. produced small-figure scenes in the style of Jan Pynas, his teacher in Amsterdam. From 1628 he also painted biblical subjects with large figures, such as the present painting. It was the result of his visit to Leiden in 1628, where he encountered the work of Jan Lievens.

The subject of this painting is taken from the Old Testament (i Kings 13:20-22), which recounts how the old prophet in Bethel condemns the disobedient prophet to death. Jacobsz., as in many other similar compositions, tells the story by employing theatrical hand gestures.

Send Postcard Learn More