John Closterman
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John Closterman (also spelt Cloosterman, Klosterman; 1660 – 24 May 1711 (buried)) was a
Westphalia Westphalia (; ; ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the region is almost identical with the h ...
n portrait painter of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His subjects were mostly European noblemen and their families.


Career

Born in
Osnabrück Osnabrück (; ; archaic English: ''Osnaburg'') is a city in Lower Saxony in western Germany. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population of 168 ...
in the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
(now in
Lower Saxony Lower Saxony is a States of Germany, German state (') in Northern Germany, northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ' of the Germany, Federal Re ...
), Closterman was the son of an artist who taught him the rudiments of design. In 1679, Closterman went to Paris and worked under François de Troy. In 1681, he went to
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. He worked for John Riley, painting the draperies in Riley's portraits When Riley died in 1691, Closterman finished several of his portraits. Because of his work on Riley's portraits, Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, hired him to create some paintings. However, Somerset became dissatisfied with a portrait of the Italian painter
Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...
that Closterman had painted for him, ending the relationship.
Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax (16 April 1661 – 19 May 1715) was an England, English statesman and poet. He was the grandson of the Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester, 1st Earl of Manchester and was eventually ennobled himself, firs ...
eventually purchased the portrait. In 1696, Closterman was invited to the court of Spain, where he painted a portrait of Charles II of Spain, his wife, Mariana of Austria and some others. He also travelled to Italy twice, where he bought several artworks. When he returned to England, Closterman found a high demand for his services among the social elite. At this time, he married an Englishwoman, Hannah; she died and was buried on 27 January 1702. According to
Arnold Houbraken Arnold Houbraken (28 March 1660 – 14 October 1719) was a Dutch people, Dutch Painting, painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of Dutch Golden Age painters. Life Houbraken was sent first to learn ''threadt ...
, Closterman later took a mistress who stole much of his property and then left him. Her departure allegedly precipitated Closterman's physical and mental decline. Jacob Campo Weyerman, who took much of his biographical material from Houbraken, states "Closterman had taken a beautiful mistress who, while he was away in the country, robbed him of his valuables and disappeared, actions which drove the painter into madness".'Closterman, John'
in ''
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...
'', retrieved 11 September 2007
Closterman died in 1711 and was buried in
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...
churchyard in London.


Works

In 1702, Closterman painted a whole-length portrait of
Anne, Queen of Great Britain Anne (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England, List of Scottish monarchs, Scotland, and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 8 March 1702, and List of British monarchs, Queen of Great Britain and Irel ...
in her
coronation A coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power using a crown. In addition to the crowning, this ceremony may include the presentation of other items of regalia, and other rituals such as the taking of special v ...
robes, wearing a crown, and carrying the orb and
sceptre A sceptre (or scepter in American English) is a Staff of office, staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of regalia, royal or imperial insignia, signifying Sovereignty, sovereign authority. Antiquity Ancient Egypt and M ...
. The Queen Anne portrait was originally exhibited in the Guildhall, London. The portrait has disappeared, but a study is part of the collection of the
National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...
. Closterman also painted a family portrait of
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough General (United Kingdom), General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was a Briti ...
and his wife,
Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Princess of Mindelheim, Countess of Nellenburg (née Jenyns, spelt Jennings in most modern references; 5 June 1660 (Old Style) – 18 October 1744), was an English courtier who rose to be one of th ...
, with their five children: John Churchill, Marquess of Blandford, Henrietta Godolphin, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Ann, Lady Elizabeth, and Lady Mary Churchill. In the Churchill portrait, the family is assembled beneath a rich hanging curtain on a raised dais; all the figures are lifesize. Closterman probably painted the portrait around the beginning of 1698. Closterman supposedly had so many disputes with Sarah Churchill that her husband remarked, "It has given me more trouble to reconcile my wife and you than to fight a battle". The story is told by
Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (; 24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English Whig politician, writer, historian and antiquarian. He had Strawberry Hill House built in Twickenham, southwest London ...
. The Churchill portrait is now part of the collection at Blenheim Palace in
Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...
.


Identity

For many years John Closterman and his artist brother John Baptist Closterman have been conflated in biographies, such as those in the ''
Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'' and the ''
Encyclopedia Britannica An encyclopedia is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge, either general or special, in a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into article (publishing), articles or entries that are arranged Alp ...
''. An article by J. D. Stewart in ''
The Burlington Magazine ''The Burlington Magazine'' is a monthly publication that covers the fine and decorative arts of all periods. Established in 1903, it is the longest running art journal in the English language. It has been published by a charitable organisation s ...
'' sets the record straight, citing John Closterman's will, which left part of his estate to "my Deare and Loveing Brother John Baptist"."John and John Baptist Closterman: some documents"
in ''
The Burlington Magazine ''The Burlington Magazine'' is a monthly publication that covers the fine and decorative arts of all periods. Established in 1903, it is the longest running art journal in the English language. It has been published by a charitable organisation s ...
'', 106 (1964), 306–9


Notes


References

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External links

* *
John and John Baptist Closterman: french website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Closterman, John 1660 births 1711 deaths 17th-century German painters German male painters 18th-century German painters 18th-century German male artists German portrait painters Emigrants from the Holy Roman Empire Immigrants to France Immigrants to the Kingdom of England Artists from Osnabrück Painters from Lower Saxony