Jan Frans van Son or Frans van Son (Baptized on 16 August 1658, Antwerp – 1701,

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) was a Flemish still life painter.J. Fuchs, 'Over Weyermans reizen naar Engeland, en over de schilder Jan Frans van Son'
in: Mededelingen van de stichting Jacob Campo Weyerman 37 (2014), p. 1-12 The son of the prominent Antwerp still life painter Joris van Son, he trained with another prominent still life artist Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Elder. He left for England at a young age and had a successful career in London. He painted flower pieces, fruit still lifes and banquet still lifes.Jan Frans van Son
at the

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Life

Jan Frans van Son was baptised on 16 August 1658 as the son of the painter Joris van Son and Cornelia van Heulem. His father died before Jan Frans reached the age of nine. As a result, Jan Frans trained with the still life artist Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Elder. He travelled to England at a young age, possibly just after Gillemans' death in Antwerp on 12 August 1675.Frans Jozef Peter Van den Branden, ''Geschiedenis der Antwerpsche schilderschool'', Antwerpen, 1883, p. p. 1113-1115 He married Elizabeth Harler on 6 May 1684 in the

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in London. The couple had at least five children: Elizabeth born on 25 March 1685, Francis born on 18 October 1686, Bridget born on 17 October 1688, Jermin born on 9 April 1691 and John born on 12 December 1693. Most of their children did young: Elizabeth was buried on 12 March 1687, Francis as well as Jermyn on 29 August 1691, and Bridget on 8 December 1700. His wife was a niece of the king's serjeant-painter Robert Streater. His marriage thus brought him powerful connections and a lucrative patronage. He was also patronised by Charles Robartes, earl of Radnor, who reportedly had a large collection of van Son's paintings in his house in St. James's Square.FRANCIS VANSON, or VANZOON (1661—1700)
in: Horace Walpole, ''Anecdotes of painting in England, with some account of the principal artists, and notes on other arts; collected by G. Vertue, digested from his MSS.; with additions by J. Dallaway.

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A catalogue of engravers who have been born, or resided, in England'', pp. 437-438 The artist is recorded as living in St Martin in the Fields, New Street Ward, Long Acre North in 1693–94. He may have lived at this location before and after that period. After lived in Long Acre, he finally moved to St. Albans Street, St. James's. The death date of Jan Frans van Son is not known. It is likely he is identical to the Francis Vansson who was buried on 17 January 1701 St. James's Picadilly, London. His death followed shortly that of his daughter Bridget. The 18th century Dutch biographer

Jacob Campo Weyerman Jacob Campo Weyerman (9 August 1677 – 9 March 1747) was a painter and writer during the period known as the Dutch Enlightenment. His work encompassed flower and fruit still life paintings, satirical magazines, plays, and biographies of painter ...

reported that van Son died out of grief over the loss of his daughter.Jan Frans van Son Biography, p 282
in:

, ''De levens-beschryvingen der Nederlandsche konst-schilders'' (Volume 3, 1729), on

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It was believed earlier that he died after 1704 on the basis of this date appearing on a work attributed to him in the Palais des Beaux-Arts of Lille. On stylistic grounds it is no longer believed he painted that painting.

Work

Jan Frans van Son was a still life painter who painted flower pieces, fruit still lifes, banquet still lifes and garland paintings. He signed his works "J van Son" or "JF van Son". His style is unlike that of his father as he did not train with him. His style is more in line with that of his teacher Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Elder and some paintings formerly attributed to a follower of Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Elder have been re-attributed to him. This includes three still lifes at the

Dulwich Picture Gallery Dulwich Picture Gallery is an art gallery in Dulwich, South London, which opened to the public in 1817. It was designed by Regency architect Sir John Soane using an innovative and influential method of illumination. Dulwich is the oldest pub ...

. These works likely were part of a larger set of interior decoration and were probably intended as overdoors and as an overmantel. When Weyerman moved to London, van Son had recently died. Weyerman took over his unfinished flower paintings and sketches and finished them.The

erroneously states that van Son influenced Gilliam Dandoy, an artist who died before he was born.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Son, Jan Frans van 1658 births 1701 deaths Flemish Baroque painters Flemish still life painters Artists from Antwerp Flower artists Belgian expatriates in England