JAN JACOB SPOHLER
Dutch (1811-1879)
Jan Jacob Spohler was born in Nederhorst a-la Montagne, Holland on November 7, 1811. He was a painter of genre scenes and landscapes.
He studied under J.W. Pieneman at the Amsterdam Academy of Fine Arts and he devoted his life to the portrayal of the Dutch landscape. Spohler painted during the height of the Dutch Romantic movement and emulated and followed in the footsteps of the great master, Andreas Schelfhout. Like Schelfhout, Spohler was comfortable painting both winter and summer landscapes, capturing the atmosphere of both with equal skill. He often included small groups of figures in his work, portraying a wonderful insight into the life of that period.
Spohler traveled extensively throughout Holland during his working life and lived in Amsterdam, Harlem, The Hague, Leiden, Rotterdam as well as Brussels, Belgium. He returned to Amsterdam in 1861.
His paintings sold very well during his lifetime and he often competed for commissions with such contemporaries as F.M. Kruseman and Charles Leickert.
Spohler had two sons, J.J.C. Spohler and J.F. Spohler, who were also artists and who were very much influenced by their father.
He died in Amsterdam in1879.
Today, Spohler’s work can be found in private and public collections, including museums in Harlem, Broedepoort and Kampen, Holland.
