Pieter Lastman (1583–1633) was a Dutch language painter. Lastman is considered important because of his work as a painter of history pieces and because his pupils included Rembrandt and Jan Lievens.
Early life
Pieter Lastman was born in
Amsterdam. He was the fourth child of Pieter Segersz, (1548-1624),
a town-beadle who was dismissed in 1578 for being a Catholic.
His mother, Barber Jacobsdr, (1549-1624)
was an appraiser of paintings and goods.
Education and Italy
His apprenticeship was with Gerrit Pietersz Sweelinck, the brother of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Between approximately 1604 and 1607, Lastman was in Italy, where he was influenced by
Caravaggio (as were the painters of the
Utrecht School a few years later) and by
Adam Elsheimer.
Back in Amsterdam
Back in Amsterdam he moved in with his mother in the Sint Antoniesbreestraat, living next to mayor Geurt van Beuningen. Lastman never married although he promised to marry the sister of Gerbrand Adriaensz Bredero. Because of his health Lastman moved in with his brother in 1632.
Death
He died the next year after moving in with his brother and was buried in the Oude Kerk on 4 April 1633.
Students
Because Rembrandt never visited Italy, it is likely that he was influenced by Caravaggio (see e.g.
chiaroscuro) mainly or significantly via Lastman. His pupils besides Rembrandt and Lievens were Bartholomeus Breenbergh,
Nicolaes Lastman, Pieter Pieterz Nedek and Jan Albertsz Rotius.
[ Pieter Lastman in the RKD]
Rembrandt used many of the same themes as Lastman. Among his most famous works his rendition of the Stoning of Saint Stephen, The Baptism of the Eunuch, and Sacrifice of Abraham appear to be very influenced by Lastman. It is even possible that as an apprentice, Rembrandt may have done the preliminary sketches for each of these works by Lastman.
Gallery
File:Wedding Night of Tobias and Sarah - MFA, Boston SC239460.jpg| Wedding Night of Tobias and Sarah, 1611, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
File:Pieter Pietersz. Lastman 001.jpg| Hagar's Farewell 1612, Hamburger Kunsthalle
File:'The Resurrection' by Pieter Lastman, 1612, Getty Center.JPG| Resurrection 1612, Getty Center
File:Juno Discovering Jupiter with Io by Pieter Lastman.jpg| Juno Discovering Jupiter with Io, 1618, National Gallery
File:Pieter Lastman - De offerstrijd tussen Orestes en Pylades - Google Art Project.jpg| Orestes and Pylades Disputing at the Altar, 1614, Rijksmuseum
File:Pieter Lastman - Jonah and the Whale - Google Art Project.jpg| Jonah and the Whale, 1621, Museum Kunstpalast
File:Pieter Pietersz. Lastman - The Triumph of Mordechai.jpg| The Triumph of Mordechai, 1624, Rembrandt House Museum
File:Pieter Lastman - Tobias vangt de vis.jpg| The Angel and Tobias with the Fish 1625, Gemeentelijk Museum Het Princessehof-Leeuwarden
File:The Baptism of the Eunuch, Pieter Lastman, 1623, oil on panel, 85 by 115 cm, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Karlsruhe.jpg|Baptism of the Eunuch (1623)
File:Die Steinigung des heiligen Stephanus, nach Pieter Lastman, schwarze Kreide, 29,5 x 36,4 cm, 1630 bis 1640, Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin.jpg|Stoning of Saint Stephen - Drawing
Additional sources
-
Murray, P. & L. (1997). Penguin Dictionary of Art and Artists (7th edition), p. 287, 436–438. London: Penguin Books. .
External links
