Jan Asselijn (c.1610 – October 1, 1652) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Asselijn was born at Dieppe from a French Huguenot family as Jean Asselin. He accepted instruction from Esaias van de Velde (1587–1630), and distinguished himself especially in landscape and animal painting, though his historical works and battle pieces are also admired. He traveled in France and Italy and modeled his style after Bamboccio (Pieter van Laer), also a member of the Bentvueghels. Nicolaes de Helt Stockade and Asselijn married two sisters in Lyons in 1645, both daughters of Houwaart Koorman of Antwerp.

He seems to have a friend of Rembrandt. In the etching that Rembrandt made of him, Asselijn appears in some states to be standing before an easel. His hands are not shown. Frederick de Moucheron, another Italianate landscape painter, was his pupil.

He was one of the first Dutch painters who establish a fresh and clear manner of painting landscapes in the style of Claude Lorraine, and his example was followed by other artists. Asselijn's pictures were in high estimation at Amsterdam, and several of them are in the museums of that city. Twenty-four, painted in Italy, were engraved.

References