Jan Van Den Bergh

Jan van den Bergh (Alkmaar 1587–1670) The vision of St. Francis Xavier, signed and dated lower right: V. Bergh F. 1659, oil on canvas, 150 x 118 cm, framed Provenance: Spanish private collection. As a young man, Jan van den Bergh trained under Hendrick Goltzius, then being admitted to the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens. In 1622 he is documented as the teacher of Jan Fijt. He evidently also later worked in the Antwerp tradition, although he had long since moved to the northern Netherlands. There is also clear evidence of a leaning towards the Antwerp High Baroque in this painting. It is possible that as a former pupil of Rubens, Bergh belonged to the network of artists around the dealers, Fourchoudt and Masson, who exported art to Spain on a grand scale. It is unclear whether Bergh was employing one of his own compositions here or whether he was painting in the style of an early Antwerp master, due to a commission from his patrons. Jan van den Bergh was active in the circle of late Antwerp Rubens pupils, such as Willem van Herp and Pieter van Lint, who continued to work in the Antwerp tradition until far into the second half of the century.