Background
Pieter Lastman was born in Amsterdam, the son of a town-beadle, who was dismissed in 1578 for being a Catholic.
Pieter Lastman was born in Amsterdam, the son of a town-beadle, who was dismissed in 1578 for being a Catholic.
Lastman is considered important because of his work as a painter of history pieces and because his pupils included Rembrandt and January Lievens. In his paintings Lastman paid a lot of attention to the faces, hands and feet. His mother was an appraiser of paintings and goods.
His apprenticeship was with Gerrit Pietersz Sweelinck, the brother of January Pieterszoon Sweelinck.
Between approximately 1604 and 1607 Lastman was in Italy, where he was influenced by Caravaggio (as were the painters of the Utrecht School a few years later) and by Adam Elsheimer. Back in Amsterdam he moved in with his mother in the Sint Antoniesbreestraat, living next to mayor Geurt van Beuningen.
Lastman never married although he promised to marry the sister of Gerbrand Adriaensz Bredero. He died the next year and was buried in the Oude Kerk on 4 April 1633.
Because Rembrandt never visited Italy, it is likely that he was influenced by Caravaggio (see eg chiaroscuro) mainly or significantly via Lastman.
His pupils besides Rembrandt and Lievens were Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Nicolaes Lastman, Pieter Pieterz Nedek and January Albertsz Rotius.
