Jan Baptist
Venix

Arts Feniksa was closely associated with the Italian culture; he studied with A. Blomart in Utrecht, and then in N. Muhurta in Amsterdam. In 1643-1647 he made a journey to Rome and on his return was associated with members of the Guild of painters of Utrecht (K. van and J. Polenberg Bot). Author of numerous landscapes, Venix wrote still life paintings depicting poultry, which manifest decorative trend close to the paintings of Flemish painters such as Snyders (London, NAT. gallery; the Hague, Mauritshuis; Amsterdam, GOS. Museum; Detroit Institute of arts; the HART-Ford, Wadsworth Atheneum). However, according to recent attributions and datings, some of his still lifes and landscapes was fulfilled by his son Jan (for example, "joyride", 1667, Paris, Petit Palais, or "Two lovers in a boat", Paris, Louvre). The work of Venica refers to italianising required direction in Dutch painting of the XVII century (J. Bot, J., Asselain). However, unlike other masters, he attaches greater significance to the national scene, which depicts in the foreground; thus, his paintings are at the intersection of two genres - "bamboccianti" and actually landscape ("Italian landscape with ruins", the Detroit Institute of arts; "the Roman Campagna", Hartford, Wadsworth Atheneum; "Mother and child in Italian ruins", Kassel, Museum, "Classical ruins on the shore of the sea", London, the Wallace collection; "fording", Saint-Petersbrug State. The Hermitage). Venix willingly fills his landscapes and views of the Italian ports ancient ruins, is well combined with the composition, shown in the foreground, thanks to its relief, the play of light and rich combination of tones ("Landscape with ruins", Utrecht Museum; "Pactual and the herd", Basel Art Museum). The work of the son of Venica, Jan (1642 ?, Amsterdam - 1719, ibid), differs from his own only by dates, many of the paintings attributed to his father, executed, in fact, son. Both wrote the same types of landscapes and Italian ports, still lifes with game; sometimes Venix Junior uses warmer tones and brighter light and shade. Venix Younger, which is probably for four years (1664-1668) studied with his uncle, Gysbert of Gillis de Hondecoeter, lived in Utrecht and then in Amsterdam. In 1702-1712, by order of the elector Johann Wilhelm Palackoho, he performed a cycle of 12 paintings depicting hunting scenes to the castle Bensberg (Augsburg Museum, Munich, Alte Pinakothek; the castle Clisham). On his return to Amsterdam, Venix decorated similarly many buildings. The creative legacy of this prolific artist represented in the State. Museum in Amsterdam, Mauritiana in the Hague, State. The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Louvre in Paris and in the museums of Antwerp, Brest, Brussels, (Cor. Museum of fine arts), Kahn, Cambridge (Fitzwilliam Museum), Kassel, Chambery, Copenhagen (GOS. art Museum), Dresden (Picture Gal.), Haarlem, Hamburg (Kunsthalle), Karlsruhe, Montpellier, Nimes, Rotterdam (Museum Boijmans van Beuningen), Strasbourg and London (the Wallace collection - 16 pictures).