The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (334 page)
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Navarrete , Juan Fernández de
(
c.
1526–79).
Spanish painter from Navarre, called ‘El Mudo’ (the mute) because he was deaf and dumb. After studying for many years in Italy (traditionally as a pupil of
Titian
) he returned to Spain shortly before 1568 and was appointed court painter to Philip II. He was commissioned to paint thirty-two altarpieces for chapels in the
Escorial
, but at the time of his death had completed only eight (still
in situ
). His eclectic style was instrumental in spreading Italian influence in Spain.
c.
1526–79).
Spanish painter from Navarre, called ‘El Mudo’ (the mute) because he was deaf and dumb. After studying for many years in Italy (traditionally as a pupil of
Titian
) he returned to Spain shortly before 1568 and was appointed court painter to Philip II. He was commissioned to paint thirty-two altarpieces for chapels in the
Escorial
, but at the time of his death had completed only eight (still
in situ
). His eclectic style was instrumental in spreading Italian influence in Spain.
Nazarenes
.
.
A group of young, idealistic German painters of the early 19th cent. who believed that art should serve a religious or moral purpose and desired to return to the spirit of the Middle Ages. The nucleus of the group was established in 1809 when six students at the Vienna Academy formed an association called the Brotherhood of St Luke (
Lukasbrüder
), named after the patron saint of painting. The name Nazarenes was given to them derisively because of their affectation of biblical dress and hairstyles. They wished to revive the working environment as well as the spiritual sincerity of the Middle Ages, and lived and worked together in a quasi-monastic fashion. In 1810
Overbeck
,
Pforr
, and two other members moved to Rome, where they occupied the disused monastery of S. Isidoro . Here they were joined by Peter von
Cornelius
and others. One of their aims was the revival of monumental
fresco
and they obtained two important commissions which made their work internationally known (Casa Bartholdy, 1816–17, the paintings are now in the Staatliche Museen, Berlin; and Casino Massimo, Rome, 1817–29). Stylistically they were much indebted to
Perugino
, and their work is clear and prettily coloured, but often insipid. In general, modern taste has been more sympathetic towards the Nazarenes’ simple and sensitive landscape and portrait drawings than to their ambitious and didactic figure paintings. The Nazarenes broke up as a group in the 1820s, but their ideas continued to be influential. Cornelius had moved in 1819 to Munich, where he surrounded himself with a large number of pupils and assistants who in turn carried his style to other German centres. The studio of Overbeck (the only one to remain permanently in Rome) was a meeting-place for artists from many countries (the Russian
Ivanov
was his friend, for example);
Ingres
admired him and Ford Madox
Brown
visited him. William
Dyce
introduced some of the Nazarene ideals into English art and there is a kinship of spirit with the
Pre-Raphaelites
.
Lukasbrüder
), named after the patron saint of painting. The name Nazarenes was given to them derisively because of their affectation of biblical dress and hairstyles. They wished to revive the working environment as well as the spiritual sincerity of the Middle Ages, and lived and worked together in a quasi-monastic fashion. In 1810
Overbeck
,
Pforr
, and two other members moved to Rome, where they occupied the disused monastery of S. Isidoro . Here they were joined by Peter von
Cornelius
and others. One of their aims was the revival of monumental
fresco
and they obtained two important commissions which made their work internationally known (Casa Bartholdy, 1816–17, the paintings are now in the Staatliche Museen, Berlin; and Casino Massimo, Rome, 1817–29). Stylistically they were much indebted to
Perugino
, and their work is clear and prettily coloured, but often insipid. In general, modern taste has been more sympathetic towards the Nazarenes’ simple and sensitive landscape and portrait drawings than to their ambitious and didactic figure paintings. The Nazarenes broke up as a group in the 1820s, but their ideas continued to be influential. Cornelius had moved in 1819 to Munich, where he surrounded himself with a large number of pupils and assistants who in turn carried his style to other German centres. The studio of Overbeck (the only one to remain permanently in Rome) was a meeting-place for artists from many countries (the Russian
Ivanov
was his friend, for example);
Ingres
admired him and Ford Madox
Brown
visited him. William
Dyce
introduced some of the Nazarene ideals into English art and there is a kinship of spirit with the
Pre-Raphaelites
.
NEAC
.
.
Neeffs
(or Neefs), Pieter the Elder
(or Neefs), Pieter the Elder
(
c.
1578–1656/61).
Flemish painter, active in Antwerp. Most of his pictures are interiors of
Gothic
churches, some of them night scenes illuminated by artificial light. They are generally small, painted on copper, and executed in a precise, neat way similar in style to those of the
Steenwycks
, but more mechanical. His son
Pieter Neeffs the Younger
(1620—after 1675) painted the same subjects, and it is very difficult to distinguish between their hands. Another son,
Lodewijk
(b. 1617), was also a painter, but little is known of his work.
c.
1578–1656/61).
Flemish painter, active in Antwerp. Most of his pictures are interiors of
Gothic
churches, some of them night scenes illuminated by artificial light. They are generally small, painted on copper, and executed in a precise, neat way similar in style to those of the
Steenwycks
, but more mechanical. His son
Pieter Neeffs the Younger
(1620—after 1675) painted the same subjects, and it is very difficult to distinguish between their hands. Another son,
Lodewijk
(b. 1617), was also a painter, but little is known of his work.
Neer , Aert
(or Aernout) van der
(or Aernout) van der
(1603/4–77).
Dutch landscape painter, active in his native Amsterdam. He had two specialities: moonlit scenes, of which he is the acknowledged master among Dutch painters; and winter landscapes with skaters, as an exponent of which he is in the first rank. In both types he displayed his mastery of light effects and subtle modulations of colour. He was a prolific painter and his work was much copied and imitated, but he had difficulty earning a living as an artist. In 1658 he opened a wine shop in Amsterdam, but this venture was also a failure and in 1662 he became bankrupt. Two of his sons were artists.
Eglon
(1634?–1703) is best known for
genre
pieces done in the style of
Terborch
and
Metsu
. He was conspicuously more successful than his father and became court painter at Düsseldorf. The few works which can be attributed to
Jan
(1638–65) show that he was an imitator of his father.
Dutch landscape painter, active in his native Amsterdam. He had two specialities: moonlit scenes, of which he is the acknowledged master among Dutch painters; and winter landscapes with skaters, as an exponent of which he is in the first rank. In both types he displayed his mastery of light effects and subtle modulations of colour. He was a prolific painter and his work was much copied and imitated, but he had difficulty earning a living as an artist. In 1658 he opened a wine shop in Amsterdam, but this venture was also a failure and in 1662 he became bankrupt. Two of his sons were artists.
Eglon
(1634?–1703) is best known for
genre
pieces done in the style of
Terborch
and
Metsu
. He was conspicuously more successful than his father and became court painter at Düsseldorf. The few works which can be attributed to
Jan
(1638–65) show that he was an imitator of his father.
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