KESSEL, Jan van - b. 1641 Amsterdam, d. 1680 Amsterdam

Dutch painter and draughtsman. He was a follower, and probably a pupil, of Jacob van Ruisdael and covered the same range of subjects painted by Ruisdael, with the exception of marine paintings. However, van Kessel is best known for his townscapes and panoramic views, as exemplified by the Sluice and the New City Ramparts of Amsterdam in Winter (Amsterdam, Historisches Museum) and the Bleaching Grounds near Haarlem (Brussels, Musée d’Art Ancienne). He imitated the water-mills and village scenes of his friend Meindert Hobbema, as well as the waterfalls of Allaert van Everdingen, the wooded landscapes of Jan Wynants and the winter scenes of Jan van de Capelle. Many of van Kessel’s 120 surviving pictures, including The Avenue (Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie) and the Ford in the Woods (Dresden, Gemäldegalerie), were once attributed to van Ruisdael and these other masters (often with an authentic signature covered by the better-known name).

Van Kessel is also frequently confused with other minor artists in van Ruisdael’s circle, especially Jan Vermeer van Haarlem the younger, Isaac Koene (¹⁶³⁷⁄₄₀-1713), Jacob Salomonsz. van Ruysdael (¹⁶²⁹⁄₃₀-1681) and Anthonie van Borssum. As a draughtsman, van Kessel emulated van Ruisdael’s mature style, working almost exclusively in black chalk and grey wash. The best of his 70 drawings are townscapes, although his studies of trees and depictions of farmsteads are noteworthy. A number of correlations exist between his sketches and paintings. There is no known relationship with the Flemish artists of the same name.

River Landscape

This is one one of the earliest dated paintings of the artist. It shows the influence of his teacher, Jacob van Ruisdael, but in hes early years he was also greatly influenced by Meindert Hobbema, who became godfather of his son in 1675, and by Jan Wijnants, who moved to Amsterdam in 1660.

The Rotterdam Gate at Delft

Best known as a follower of Jacob van Ruisdael, Van Kessel spent most of his life in Amsterdam. In addition to sketching that city’s sights the artist drew views in Deventer, Haarlem, Monnikendam, and Delft.

Van Kessel’s drawing of the Rotterdam Gate at Delft represents the front and the east side, a view rarely recorded.