Profile of the Day: Jan van Goyen

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1596, Dutch artist Jan van Goyen was born. A prolific artist, van Goyen (sometimes spelled Goijen) produced about 1,200 paintings and over 1,000 drawings during his lifetime.

Image: Jan van Goyen / Wikimedia Commons

He was born Jan Josephszoon van Goyen in Leiden, Netherlands. Van Goyen began an apprenticeship at the age of ten and studied painting under the tutelage of several masters.

Although he made a modest amount of money from the sale of his paintings, van Goyen also took on other jobs to supplement his income. He worked as an art dealer and auctioneer, while also speculating in tulips and real estate. Unfortunately, his investments in tulips and real estate would leave him in a great deal of debt towards the end of his life.

A painter during the Dutch Golden Age, the subject of van Goyen’s paintings were often Dutch landscapes. Today, he is remembered as one of the most influential landscape artists of his time.

Explore Jan van Goyen’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re connected to the Dutch artist. 

View Jan van Goyen’s Geni Profile