A 20th century ‘Still life with lobster and nautilus cup’ oil on canvas after Jan Davidsz. de Heem (1606-1683/1684).

Jan Davidsz. de Heem was a very successful painter and a central figure of Dutch still life painting in the seventeenth century. He played an important role in the development of the stately still life, which took off in an extreme way in the second half of the seventeenth century. Stately still lifes reflected the wealth and opulence of the patrons, often exotic flowers, exclusive food and valuables such as gold, silver and glass were exhibited.

Jan Davidsz. de Heem was born in Utrecht in April 1606 and was apprenticed at an early age to learn the art of painting from the flower still life painter Balthasar van der Ast. Jan Davidsz. de Heem wanted to study in Italy, but he had not enough money to achieve that. As a result, he moved to Antwerp in 1631 and worked as a still life artist among big names such as Jan van Kessel, Frans Snyders, Pieter Boel and Daniël Seghers. After the death of his first wife, Jan Davidsz. de Heem married again in 1644 with the daughter of Andrie Ruckers. The world-famous artist Jacob Jordaens witnessed that wedding. From this marriage Jan Davidsz. de Heem had six more children. Eventually two of his children also became still life artists.

Jan Davidsz. de Heem died after a very successful career in Antwerp between September 1683 and September 1684.

‘After’

The word after is often used in museums, art galleries and antique stores. The meaning is very simple, it is a copy of that specific artist’s work where the word ‘after’ is placed before or after the artist’s name. It is very important not to forget that the word ‘after’ has nothing to do with ‘faking’ the artist’s work.

An (unknown) artist can paint a copy of a famous work which is exhibited in a museum. This copy if not a fake, because the (unknown) artist is not claiming to be the original artist of the work. When the (unknown) artist wants to sell his own copy, the word ‘after’ is placed before or after the original artist’s work. Now, the work is not a fake, but a nicely made copy.

Using the word ‘after’ for copies has already been done for centuries. But there are different levels of ‘afters’. An ‘after’ can already be an ‘after’ when an (unknown) artist is copying in 2020 the work ‘The starry night’ by Van Gogh. The (unknown) artist is far removed from the original artist by time and association. A very high level of an ‘after’ is when the original artist is involved or approves the ‘after’. Even an original signature by the original artist can be placed on the ‘after’.

Even tough an ‘after’ is a copy, the value and quality can still be very high and ‘afters’ will stay highly collectible.