PvR

Pieter Jansz van Ruijven /aka/ Pieter Reuven (1651-1719). As a painter he specialized in decorative arts.

In Delft Guild 1672, headman 1674; also delftware painter.

Born to an important family, he studied with the Antwerp painter Jacob Jordaens. Specialized in large format ceiling paintings, also in Palace Het Loo.

Painted the triumphal arch for the entrance of British king William III in The Hague.

He owned a great deal of real estate including property on Wijnhaven; his direct heirs lived at east side of Voorstraat.

Houbraken writes that Van Ruyven knew painter Adriaan van Linschoten (c. 1607-1677) in his old age.

In 1691 he designed a triumphal arch for the festive entry of William III in The Hague.

Right: Ceiling painting depicting America, one of a series of four. Leiden, Lakenhal.

RKD, Bredius archive, artist's folder, quoting years, occupation and marriage in 1673. Linschoten in Houbraken I, p. 145-147. Thieme-B. XXIX, p. 245. Wijnhaven Huizenprotocol III 945. Arnold Houbraken, De groote Schouburgh der Nederlantsche Konstschilders en Schilderessen, The Hague 1752 [2nd ed.] Book 1, page 145. Book 3, 290. Houbraken gives the vital years 1650-1718.

This page forms part of a large encyclopedic site on Delft. Research by Drs. Kees Kaldenbach (email). A full presentation is on view at johannesvermeer.info.

Launched 16 February 2001; Last update March 1, 2017. More info in the RKD site.