The Threatened Swan

mythological

Asselyn's early works, dated 1634 and 1635, are little views of ferocious cavalry skirmishes which suggest he was apprenticed to Jan Marsten the Younger, a Haarlem battle painter who was a pupil and follower of Esaias van de Velde. Soon afterwards he was said to have travelled to Rome and remained there until about 1643-44. No painting can be documented to his Roman sojourn but on the basis of stylistic evidence a sufficient number establish he was there, and had close contact with the Bamboccianti as well as an opportunity to take a hard look at Claude's landscapes.

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About the Artist

Jan Asselyn

1610 – 1652

Dutch Italianate landscape painter (also spelled Asselijn). According to the Amsterdam burgher book of 1652, Asselyn came from 'Diepen', which can be interpreted as either the village Diemen, near Amsterdam or the French town of Dieppe in northern France. He was probably a pupil of Esaias van de Velde but his style was formed on the Arcadian landscapes of Claude, and on the Roman Campagna: hence his work resembles that of Berchem, Both and Dujardin. He spent about ten years in Italy c.1634-44. He specialized in real and imaginary scenes of the Roman Campagna, his most famous painting, however, is not a landscape, but The Threatened Swan (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), an unusual work - showing a bird defending its nest against a dog - that is said to be an allegory of Dutch nationalism. Rembrandt, who was Asselyn's friend etched his portrait. Because of a crippled hand he was nicknamed 'Crabbetje' (Little Crab)

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