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Self-portrait by Judith Leyster. Photo by Judith Leyster.

Top 10 Facts About Judith Leyster

Judith Leyster was born and baptized on the 28^th of July 1609 in Haarlem, Netherlands. She is a Dutch Golden age painter who lived between 1609 and 1660.

She was the descendant of Jan Willemsz, her father. She was the eighth child in the family and was brought up in a typically large family which was involved in brewing and cloth making.

Her father fell into bankruptcy, forcing them to relocate to Utrecht in search of a better life. Some scholars argue that Leyster ventured into the painting to support her family when her father went bankrupt.

She made her name while young, although little is known about her early training. Some scholars argue that she learned painting from Frans Pietersz Grebber who was then running a workshop in Haarlem.  She was passionate about genre works, still works, and portraits.

Below are the top 10 facts about Judith Leyster

1. She is mentioned as an Active Artist in Samuel Ampzing’s Description

Judith Leyster A Game Of Cards. Painted by Judith Leyster.

Judith Leyster began her artistic work at a very young age. She made her name in painting which has been celebrated to date.

Having made her name early enough, she was mentioned as an active artist by Samuel Ampzing’s description in Haarlem. It was published in 1628 when she was only nineteen years old.

2. She was one of the two Female painters to Join the Haarlem Painters Guild in the 17^th Century

Judith Leyster was an exceptional female painter in the seventeenth century. She stood out among other female painters. She joined the Haarlem painter’s guild in 1633 making her among the only two females during the seventeenth century.

She was exceptional in her work which led her to run her studio. She also had her students and apprentices.

It was also recorded that she filed a complaint against Frans Hals for poaching one of her assistants. At that time, Frans Hal was the most important artist in Haarlem and was made to pay a fine for poaching the assistance but he ended up keeping her.

3. Judith Leyster mostly Created Genre Paintings and portraits

Judith Leyster – Cello player. Painted by Judith Leyster.

Genre arts are depicted by pictorial representations of a variety of events or scenes that happen in day-to-day life situations. Most of her works were influenced by genre paintings.

Many of them featured one or few figures making merry or happily involved in domestic activities. Most were depicted playing music and more often than not, drinking.

One of her paintings “The Carousing Couple” portrays a couple playing music as they drink.

4. Her Artistic Output Decreased Dramatically after her Marriage

Leyster was so much productive in painting in the years between 1629 and 1635. However, the rate of productivity decreases dramatically after she entered into a marriage in 1639.

She was greatly involved with raising her children and managing the family’s properties and business. She probably also helped her husband’s art.

In 1649 the whole family moved to Haarlem from Amsterdam where they spent the remainder of their life.

5. She Chose to Marry a Fellow Painter Jan Miense Molenaer

Judith Leyster married a fellow painter named Jan Miense Molenaer in 1636. They were of similar age at the moment and worked similarly. However, it is recorded that Molenaer was more advanced in painting than Judith.

Their relationship benefited both of them and since they supported each other, they decided to move to Amsterdam to take advantage of the success of Molenaer who was already established in the capital.

They stayed in Amsterdam for eleven years before they relocated to Haarlem where they were both born and brought up.

Leyster had an upper hand among the two artists since she benefited from growing interest in female artists from the past.

6. Her self Portrait Remains the Best Known Work from Her Career

Self-portrait by Judith Leyster. Photo by Judith Leyster.

From all her artistic work, around thirty paintings have survived to date. There is however a consistency in her work which is attributed to her style of art.

However, her self-portrait remains the best-known work from her career probably because it allows the viewer to have a better understanding of the woman behind these magnificent artworks. The painting is an excellent example of a Dutch genre painting. 

7. Leyster Launched Legal Claims Against Frans Hals for Luring her Student

Leyster launched a legal claim against Frans Hals after one of her pupils left her studio and joined him. she was one of her most talented students.

She was successfully compensated which was paid out by the pupil’s mother. Fans also paid a nominal fine for the incident. However, the young painter refused to return to Leyster and remained with Hals.

8. She Disappeared from Art History after her Death in 1660

Having had an exclusive career in artwork, she died in 1660. After her death, she essentially disappeared from the art historical record.

Some of her works were credited to either Hals or Molenaer while others were unattributed. This is despite her distinctive signature which was a star and her initials.

9. Leyster Talent Finally Began to be Acknowledged in the late 19^th Century

Judith Leyster – Unequal love. Painted by Judith Leyster.

Her name had disappeared from the history of art since her death. Some of her work was attributed to other people. It was not until the late 19^th century that her work was acknowledged.

One of the paintings ‘The Happy Couple’ that had been attributed to Frans Hals was revealed to be the work of Leyster. Her initials were found underneath Hal’s signature which was fake. Several other works were also revealed and were attributed to her works.  

10. Her work was Added to the Gallery of Honor

Leyster’s sensational work of art was added to the “Gallery of Honor” at the Rijksmuseum in March 2021. Her exceptional work has been placed in museums for people to view.

Some of these Museums include Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, the Mauritshuis, The Hague; the Frans Hals Museum, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.

 Leyster’s input in the work of art has been sensational. She was among the first woman to be included in the Gallery of Honor. Her style of art was also unique among other painters.