Jan Mortel (1650 – 1719): Master of Flemish Still Life Jan Mortel was born in Leiden, Netherlands, around 1652, into a family steeped in artistic tradition. His father, Johannes Mortel, was a printer and publisher, fostering an environment that encouraged intellectual curiosity and appreciation for visual arts—a formative influence on Mortel’s own creative pursuits. While biographical details about his early life remain scarce, records indicate he received formal training under Jan Porcellis van Delden, a prominent Leiden artist known for his marine paintings and whose workshop served as a c…