Jan de Beijer

Who was Jan de Beijer?

Jan de Beijer, also given as Jan de Beyer, was a Dutch draughtsman and painter known for this drawings of towns and buildings in the present-day countries of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. In total, he produced some 1500 drawings, over 600 of which were reproduced as engravings by other artists.

De Beijer travelled through the Netherlands in summertime to draw views of cities and towns as well as castles and other buildings. In the wintertime, he would retire to his home to produce colour drawings based on his sketches in the field, as well as drawings that could be used by other artists to produce engravings.

Drawings by Jan de Beijer and engravings based on his work can be found in numerous museums, archives, and private collections. In Amsterdam, the Joods Historisch Museum has a 1765 drawing of the Grote Synagoge and Nieuwe Synagoge, two of the synagogues making up the complex that now houses the museum. Also, the Amsterdam Museum has a drawing of the now-demolished tower Haringpakkerstoren.

In 1999, the Historisch Museum Arnhem in Arnhem devoted an exhibition to work by Jan de Beijer.