A Master of Maritime and Topographical Art
Jan Peeters the Elder was a Flemish Baroque painter and draughtsman born in Antwerp. He was the son of Cornelis Peeters and Catharina van Eelen, and a brother to the painters Gillis and Bonaventura I, as well as Catharina. After studying under his brothers and Joannes Boots, he became a master of Antwerp's Guild of St. Luke in 1645. His artistic journey included a period active in Hoboken from 1645 to 1654, after which he moved back to Antwerp following his marriage to Catherine Buseliers.
His body of work is characterized by a diverse range of subjects, most notably:
The Legacy of His Drawings and Engravings
Peeters gained significant recognition for his topographical drawings, which served as the foundation for numerous engravings by contemporary printmakers. His detailed sketches of distant locations—which may have been inspired by travels through France, Italy, Libya, Cairo, and Jerusalem—were utilized by engravers such as Gaspar Bouttats and Wenceslaus Hollar.
His contributions to printmaking include:
In addition to his maritime and topographical works, Peeters also painted portraits and was the teacher of Adriaen van Bloemen.
