Jordaens, JAKOB

Jordaens, JAKOB, a Dutch painter, born at Antwerp, 19th May 1593, and admitted into the St Luke guild in 1615. He ranks next to Rubens amongst Flemish painters in the departments they both cultivated. Jordaens' style is marked by realistic fidelity and vigour of portraiture, and his colouring is generally good; but he is sometimes coarse and inelegant. He excelled in humoristic pieces depicting Flemish life, and painted also scriptural and mythological subjects. He died at Antwerp, 18th October 1678.