Jan

De Witt, Jan: see Witt, Jan de.

Fyt, Jan, 1611-61, Flemish animal and still-life painter and etcher. A pupil of Frans Snyders, Fyt spent 10 years in France and Italy. Returning to Antwerp in 1641, he enjoyed considerable success. He is admired for his realistic textural and lighting effects. The Metropolitan Museum has four of his studies of spoils of the hunt.

Van der Meer, Jan or Johannes, Dutch painter of Delft: see Vermeer, Jan.

Peerce, Jan, 1904-85, American tenor, b. New York City as Jacob Pincus Perelmuth. Discovered by Arturo Toscanini, who chose him to be a soloist in a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Peerce made his operatic debut in Philadelphia in 1938, singing the Duke in Verdi's Rigoletto. In 1941 he made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata. He soon became a leading tenor there in the French and Italian repertoire.

Beuckelszoon, Beuckelzoon, or Beukels, Jan: see John of Leiden.

Neruda, Jan, 1834-91, Czech essayist and poet, b. Prague. His popular Stories from Malá Strana (1878), tales drawn from his childhood in Prague and satiric portraits of members of the Czech middle classes, exemplifies early Czech realism. Neruda's poetry in its simplicity and lyricism has been compared to the work of Heinrich Heine. His best-known poems are contained in Ballads and Romances and Plain Themes (both: 1883). His mature verse expresses his resignation to unhappiness.

Bockelszoon or Bockelson, Jan: see John of Leiden.

Tinbergen, Jan, 1903-94, Dutch economist, co-winner with Ragnar Frisch of the first Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (1969). A graduate of Leiden Univ. (1929), he worked (1929-45) with the Dutch government's Central Bureau of Statistics, and was briefly an adviser to the League of Nations (1936-38). He also served (1945-55) as director of the Dutch central planning bureau. He was a professor (1933-73) at the Netherlands School of Economics in Rotterdam. His publications include Economic Policy: Principles and Design (1956), Shaping the World Economy (1963), and Development Planning (1967).

Vermeer, Jan or Johannes, 1632-75, Dutch genre and landscape painter. He was born in Delft, where he spent his entire life. He was also known as Vermeer of Delft and as Jan or Johannes van der Meer. Carel Fabritius is presumed to have influenced him greatly. In 1653 he was admitted to the painters' guild, of which he was twice made dean. He enjoyed only slight recognition during his short life, and his work was forgotten or confused with that of others during the following century. Today he is ranked among the greatest Dutch masters and considered one of the foremost of all colorists. His most frequent subjects were intimate interiors, often with the solitary figure of a woman. Although his paintings are modest in theme, they exhibit a profound serenity and a splendor of execution that are unsurpassed. No painter has depicted more exquisitely luminous blues and yellows, pearly highlights, and the subtle gradations of reflected light, all perfectly integrated within strictly ordered compositions.

Vermeer apparently produced only one or two pictures a year during his period of greatest activity. His career is a mystery to art historians because, although his work was of the finest quality, his output was too small to have been the sole support of his family of 11 children. Only about 35 paintings can be attributed to him with any certainty. Among them are The Milkmaid and The Letter (Rijks Mus.); The Procuress (Dresden); The Art of Painting (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna); View of Delft (The Hague); Soldier and Laughing Girl (Frick Coll., New York City); Girl Asleep and Young Woman with a Water Jug (Metropolitan Mus.); Woman Weighing Gold and Young Girl with a Flute (National Gall. of Art, Washington, D.C.); and The Concert (Gardner Mus., Boston). Forgeries of Vermeer's work have been frequent, Hans van Meegeren's being the most successful (see forgery, in art).

De Mabuse, Jan: see Mabuse, Jan de.

Masaryk, Jan, 1886-1948, Czechoslovak diplomat, son of Thomas G. Masaryk. He was (1925-38) Czechoslovak minister to Great Britain, and in London he became (1940) foreign minister in the Czechoslovak government in exile headed by Eduard Beneš after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. During World War II, Masaryk supported a policy of cooperation with the Soviet Union as well as with the Western powers. He continued to hold his post after his government returned (1945) to Prague, and he remained in office after the Communist coup of Feb., 1948. A few days later it was officially announced that he had committed suicide by throwing himself from a window. The announcement aroused world consternation. No real evidence was ever adduced to prove whether his death was or was not voluntary.

Wynants or Wijnants, Jan, c.1625-84, Dutch landscape painter. A follower of Ruisdael, he worked chiefly in Haarlem. The little figures in his paintings are the work of others, often of his pupil Adriaen van de Velde. He is represented in many European galleries.

Ingenhousz, Jan, 1730-99, Dutch scientist. He practiced medicine in Holland, England, and Vienna and was noted for his skillful inoculations against smallpox. He demonstrated respiration in plants and recorded his observations in Experiments upon Vegetables (1779).

Wijnants, Jan: see Wynants, Jan.

Štursa, Jan, 1880-1925, Czech sculptor. His early work shows the influence of Rodin. Among his works are The Melancholy Girl, Primavera, Eve, and a monument to Hana Kvapilova, a Czech actress.

Gossaert or Gossart, Jan: see Mabuse, Jan de.

Steen, Jan, 1626-79, Dutch genre painter, b. Leiden. He studied in Utrecht and in Haarlem under Van Ostade and Van Goyen, whose daughter he married. His huge production of paintings, numbering nearly 900, reveal the influence of most of the major Dutch masters except Rembrandt, but retain a distinct and individual style. His painting offers a composite picture of the social life of his day, often tending toward the humorous or moralistic. His favorite themes were scenes of revelry and feasting. He was a superb draftsman and portraitist, and, despite his love of the incidental, he handled his large groups of figures effectively and spontaneously. Among his many notable works are The Feast of St. Nicolas and The Prince's Birthday (Rijks Mus.); The Menagerie and The Painter's Family (The Hague); and Skittle Players (National Gall., London). The Metropolitan and Brooklyn museums and the Art Institute of Chicago have examples of his work.

Swammerdam, Jan, 1637-80, Dutch naturalist. He was a pioneer in the use of the microscope. Before he turned to religious contemplation his chief interest was the study of invertebrates. He investigated the life histories of frogs and of numerous insects, which he classified on the basis of their metamorphic development. He also made valuable observations on human anatomy and was probably the first to detect red blood cells (1658). A composite collection of his descriptions and of his accurate and exquisitely executed drawings was published posthumously (2 vol., 1737-38) and appeared in English as The Book of Nature (1758). He was an early and influential proponent of the theory of evolution, in opposition to the current belief in spontaneous generation.

Zamojski or Zamoyski, Jan, 1542-1605, Polish statesman, general, and author. He championed the rights of the lesser nobility; after the extinction (1572) of the Jagiello dynasty, he used his influence to restrict the royal power with constitutional limitations, thus transforming Poland into a royal republic. A humanist, he supported art and learning and founded both the city and the university of Zamość. His De senatu Romano (1563) showed great admiration of ancient Rome, and he sought to apply constitutional principles of republican Rome to the Poland of his time. As a result of his reforms, Poland avoided the trend toward absolutism that characterized the other states of Europe. Always opposing the candidacy and influence of the Hapsburgs, Zamojski secured the election (1573) of Henry of Valois (later Henry III of France) as king of Poland; in 1575 he supported Stephen Bathory, whose chancellor he became in 1576; in 1587 he succeeded in putting Sigismund III on the throne. Appointed (1580) commander in chief, he distinguished himself against Russia, Sweden, the Crimean Tatars, and the hospodar [governor] of Moldavia. During his last years his relations with Sigismund III were strained because of the king's pro-Hapsburg policy.

Kasprowicz, Jan, 1860-1926, Polish poet. His writings progressed from social revolt (e.g., From a Peasant's Field, 1891) to poems of spiritual struggle and philosophical intensity. Among his later works are To a Dying World (1902), Ballad of the Sunflower (1908), and The Book of the Poor (1916). Highly regarded by his contemporaries, Kasprowicz was also renowned for his translations of English, French, German, and Italian classics.

Kochanowski, Jan, 1530-84, esteemed as the greatest poet of the Polish Renaissance. Kochanowski assimilated the poetic traditions of Italy and France and created new rhythmic patterns, expressive phrases, and syntactic structures that were integrated into the Polish literary language. His philosophical, erotic, and patriotic lyrics lifted Polish literature out of its provincialism and brought it into the mainstream of the European Renaissance. His works include Trifles (1584), short poems on many subjects; Laments (1580), elegies upon the death of his daughter; an epic, The Standard; and a tragedy, The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys (1578). Of special note is his Polish version of the Psalms. Much of his work is available in English translation.

Kollár, Jan, 1793-1852, Slovak poet who wrote in Czech. A Protestant minister, he was an ardent proponent of Pan-Slavism. He promoted his ideas in a famous essay on Slavonic cultural unity (1836) and in his best-known poem, The Daughter of Slava (1821-24).

Kubelík, Jan, 1880-1940, Czech violinist. Kubelík studied with Otakar Ševčik at the Prague Conservatory. He made his debut in Vienna in 1898 and was thereafter internationally acclaimed for his great virtuosity and dramatic power. He first appeared in the United States in 1901. His son, Rafael Kubelík, 1914-96, b. Býchory (now in the Czech Republic), was conductor of the Chicago Symphony (1950-53) and later director of the Covent Garden Opera in London; he also composed the opera Veronika (1947), as well as symphonic and instrumental works.

(born Oct. 31, 1632, Delft, Neth.—died Dec. 15, 1675, Delft) Dutch painter. His parents were tavern keepers. He twice served as head of the Delft artists' guild but seems to have depended on his activities as an art dealer to support his family. He painted mainly interior genre subjects, depicting members of aristocratic and upper-middle-class society. About half of these paintings show solitary figures of women absorbed in some ordinary, everyday activity. His interiors combine a microscopic observation of objects with a meticulous depiction of the gradations of daylight on varied shapes and surfaces. His masterpieces (none dated) include View of Delft, Young Woman Reading a Letter, and Allegory of Painting, his most symbolically complex work. He manages to be unique within a typically Dutch genre. Few foreign influences can be sensed in his work. His work was not widely appreciated in his own time, and he remained in obscurity until 1866, when Théophile Thoré celebrated his work and attributed 76 paintings to him; later authorities have reduced the number to between 30 and 35, while proclaiming him one of the greatest painters of all time.

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(born April 12, 1903, The Hague, Neth.—died June 9, 1994, The Netherlands) Dutch economist noted for his development of econometric models. For 40 years (1933–73) he taught at The Netherlands School of Economics. As economic adviser to the League of Nations (1936–38), he studied the economic development of the U.S. from 1919 to 1932, work that provided a basis for his development of business cycle theory and methods of economic stabilization. In 1969 he shared with Ragnar Frisch the first Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Nikolaas Tinbergen was his brother.

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(born April 1562, Amsterdam, Neth.—died Oct. 16, 1621, Amsterdam) Dutch composer. As organist at Amsterdam's Old Church from circa 1580, he became famous for his improvisations. Aside from occasional trips to other cities for organ consultation, he remained there his entire life, teaching Samuel Scheidt and other members of the North German school of organists (which would ultimately influence Johann Sebastian Bach). Many of his vocal works were published in Psalms of David (1604–14) and Cantiones sacrae (1619); he also published many keyboard fantasias, toccatas, and variation sets.

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(born Feb. 12, 1637, Amsterdam, Neth.—died Feb. 15, 1680, Amsterdam) Dutch naturalist. An adept microscopist, in 1658 he became the first person to observe and describe red blood cells. In his General History of Insects he accurately described and illustrated the life histories and anatomy of many insect species and classified insects into four major divisions, three of which have been more or less retained in modern classification. He studied tadpole and adult frog anatomy and described the ovarian follicles of mammals. His improved techniques for injecting wax and dyes into cadavers had important consequences for the study of human anatomy. He showed that muscles alter in shape but not in size during contraction.

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(born May 24, 1870, Bovenplaats, near Riebeeck West, Cape Colony—died Sept. 11, 1950, Irene, near Pretoria, S.Af.) South African statesman, soldier, and prime minister (1919–24, 1939–48). An Afrikaner, Smuts studied law at Cambridge University. Returning to South Africa, he was appointed state attorney in Pretoria by Pres. Paul Kruger in 1897. He fought the British in the South African War and joined with Louis Botha to oppose Alfred Milner's implementation of the peace terms. By 1905 Smuts was reconciled to British control and sought to keep South Africa within the Commonwealth. In World War I he joined again with Botha to suppress rebellion, conquer South West Africa, and launch a campaign in East Africa. He attended the Versailles peace conference and helped promote the League of Nations. When Botha died, Smuts became prime minister. He was defeated in 1924 by a National Party coalition. In 1933 he helped J.B.M. Hertzog force out the extreme nationalists, and in 1939 he replaced Hertzog as prime minister. Under his leadership South Africa helped prevent Germany and Italy from conquering North Africa. In 1948 he was defeated by Daniel F. Malan's Nationalists. He ended his life as chancellor of Cambridge University.

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(born August 1495, Schoorel, Habsburg Netherlands—died Dec. 6, 1562, Utrecht) Dutch humanist, architect, engineer, and painter. He studied briefly with Jan Gossart, who encouraged him to travel. Five years of work and study in Europe eventually took him to Rome. Returning to Holland in 1524, he introduced such Italian Renaissance elements as nudes, Classical draperies and architecture, and spacious imaginary landscapes. His greatest works are his portraits, which show his gift for characterization. He successfully combined the idealism of Renaissance Italy with the naturalism of northern European art in his paintings, and he bequeathed the style to successive generations of Dutch artists.

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(born August 1495, Schoorel, Habsburg Netherlands—died Dec. 6, 1562, Utrecht) Dutch humanist, architect, engineer, and painter. He studied briefly with Jan Gossart, who encouraged him to travel. Five years of work and study in Europe eventually took him to Rome. Returning to Holland in 1524, he introduced such Italian Renaissance elements as nudes, Classical draperies and architecture, and spacious imaginary landscapes. His greatest works are his portraits, which show his gift for characterization. He successfully combined the idealism of Renaissance Italy with the naturalism of northern European art in his paintings, and he bequeathed the style to successive generations of Dutch artists.

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(born April 12, 1903, The Hague, Neth.—died June 9, 1994, The Netherlands) Dutch economist noted for his development of econometric models. For 40 years (1933–73) he taught at The Netherlands School of Economics. As economic adviser to the League of Nations (1936–38), he studied the economic development of the U.S. from 1919 to 1932, work that provided a basis for his development of business cycle theory and methods of economic stabilization. In 1969 he shared with Ragnar Frisch the first Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Nikolaas Tinbergen was his brother.

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(born Feb. 12, 1637, Amsterdam, Neth.—died Feb. 15, 1680, Amsterdam) Dutch naturalist. An adept microscopist, in 1658 he became the first person to observe and describe red blood cells. In his General History of Insects he accurately described and illustrated the life histories and anatomy of many insect species and classified insects into four major divisions, three of which have been more or less retained in modern classification. He studied tadpole and adult frog anatomy and described the ovarian follicles of mammals. His improved techniques for injecting wax and dyes into cadavers had important consequences for the study of human anatomy. He showed that muscles alter in shape but not in size during contraction.

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(born April 1562, Amsterdam, Neth.—died Oct. 16, 1621, Amsterdam) Dutch composer. As organist at Amsterdam's Old Church from circa 1580, he became famous for his improvisations. Aside from occasional trips to other cities for organ consultation, he remained there his entire life, teaching Samuel Scheidt and other members of the North German school of organists (which would ultimately influence Johann Sebastian Bach). Many of his vocal works were published in Psalms of David (1604–14) and Cantiones sacrae (1619); he also published many keyboard fantasias, toccatas, and variation sets.

Learn more about Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon with a free trial on Britannica.com.

(born Feb. 12, 1760, Chacekáslav, Bohemia—died March 20, 1812, St. Germain-en-Laye, France) Bohemian (Czech) composer and pianist. He toured Europe with great success as a pianist and studied with C.P.E. Bach. He joined his father-in-law's music publishing firm in London (1792–99) but fled England to escape his creditors. He served two princely patrons and spent his last years in the household of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand. A transitional figure between Classicism and Romanticism, he wrote some 60 violin sonatas, 15 piano concertos, and 30 admired piano sonatas, which may have influenced Ludwig van Beethoven.

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(born Feb. 12, 1760, Chacekáslav, Bohemia—died March 20, 1812, St. Germain-en-Laye, France) Bohemian (Czech) composer and pianist. He toured Europe with great success as a pianist and studied with C.P.E. Bach. He joined his father-in-law's music publishing firm in London (1792–99) but fled England to escape his creditors. He served two princely patrons and spent his last years in the household of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand. A transitional figure between Classicism and Romanticism, he wrote some 60 violin sonatas, 15 piano concertos, and 30 admired piano sonatas, which may have influenced Ludwig van Beethoven.

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(born Jan. 13, 1596, Leiden, Neth.—died April 27, 1656, The Hague) Dutch painter and etcher. He studied in Leiden and Haarlem before settling at The Hague in 1632. Confining himself primarily to the scenery of Holland, he painted on wood panels; intricate detail, low horizons, and subtle atmospheric effects characterize his work. He excelled at capturing the moods of sky and water, Dutch cities, and lowland winter scenes. A prolific draftsman, he also executed many landscape etchings. He had numerous imitators. With Salomon van Ruysdael, he was the outstanding Dutch master of tonal landscape painting in the 17th-century.

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or Jan Huss

(born circa 1370, Husinec, Bohemia—died July 6, 1415, Konstanz) Bohemian religious reformer. He studied and taught at the University of Prague, where he was influenced by John Wycliffe. As rector of the university from 1402, he became leader of a reform movement that criticized the corruption of the Roman Catholic clergy. The movement was threatened when Wycliffe's teachings were condemned by the church, and Hus's position was further undermined by his stand in the power struggles among rival popes. He was excommunicated in 1411 but continued to preach. Renewed sale of indulgences by the antipope John XXIII earned Hus's criticism, which in turn led to a revival of the case of heresy against him. He was invited to the Council of Constance to explain his views; though promised safe conduct, he was arrested, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake. His writings were important in the development of the Czech language as well as in the theology of church reform, and his followers were called Hussites.

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or Jan Gossaert or Jan Mabuse

(born circa 1478, Maubeuge?, France—died Oct. 1, 1532, Antwerp?) Flemish painter. After a stay in Italy (1508–09), Gossart turned from the ornate style of the Antwerp school to the High Renaissance style. Neptune and Amphitrite (1516) reflects his attempt to assimilate the art of Classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance. Despite his efforts to develop a fully Italianate style, his nudes seldom avoid the stiffness of his earlier figures, and ultimately he retained the jewel-like technique and careful observation of traditional Early Netherlandish art. He was among the first to introduce the Italian Renaissance style into the Low Countries.

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or Jan Gossaert or Jan Mabuse

(born circa 1478, Maubeuge?, France—died Oct. 1, 1532, Antwerp?) Flemish painter. After a stay in Italy (1508–09), Gossart turned from the ornate style of the Antwerp school to the High Renaissance style. Neptune and Amphitrite (1516) reflects his attempt to assimilate the art of Classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance. Despite his efforts to develop a fully Italianate style, his nudes seldom avoid the stiffness of his earlier figures, and ultimately he retained the jewel-like technique and careful observation of traditional Early Netherlandish art. He was among the first to introduce the Italian Renaissance style into the Low Countries.

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(born May 24, 1870, Bovenplaats, near Riebeeck West, Cape Colony—died Sept. 11, 1950, Irene, near Pretoria, S.Af.) South African statesman, soldier, and prime minister (1919–24, 1939–48). An Afrikaner, Smuts studied law at Cambridge University. Returning to South Africa, he was appointed state attorney in Pretoria by Pres. Paul Kruger in 1897. He fought the British in the South African War and joined with Louis Botha to oppose Alfred Milner's implementation of the peace terms. By 1905 Smuts was reconciled to British control and sought to keep South Africa within the Commonwealth. In World War I he joined again with Botha to suppress rebellion, conquer South West Africa, and launch a campaign in East Africa. He attended the Versailles peace conference and helped promote the League of Nations. When Botha died, Smuts became prime minister. He was defeated in 1924 by a National Party coalition. In 1933 he helped J.B.M. Hertzog force out the extreme nationalists, and in 1939 he replaced Hertzog as prime minister. Under his leadership South Africa helped prevent Germany and Italy from conquering North Africa. In 1948 he was defeated by Daniel F. Malan's Nationalists. He ended his life as chancellor of Cambridge University.

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(born Jan. 12, 1580, Brussels, Belg.—died Dec. 30, 1644, Vilvoorde, Spanish Netherlands) Belgian chemist, physiologist, and physician. Though he tended to mysticism, he was a careful observer and exact experimenter. The first to recognize gases other than air, he coined the word gas and discovered that the “wild spirits” (carbon dioxide) produced by burning charcoal and by fermenting grape juice were the same. For applying chemical principles to digestion and nutrition, he has been called the “father of biochemistry.” His collected works were published in 1648.

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or Jan Huss

(born circa 1370, Husinec, Bohemia—died July 6, 1415, Konstanz) Bohemian religious reformer. He studied and taught at the University of Prague, where he was influenced by John Wycliffe. As rector of the university from 1402, he became leader of a reform movement that criticized the corruption of the Roman Catholic clergy. The movement was threatened when Wycliffe's teachings were condemned by the church, and Hus's position was further undermined by his stand in the power struggles among rival popes. He was excommunicated in 1411 but continued to preach. Renewed sale of indulgences by the antipope John XXIII earned Hus's criticism, which in turn led to a revival of the case of heresy against him. He was invited to the Council of Constance to explain his views; though promised safe conduct, he was arrested, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake. His writings were important in the development of the Czech language as well as in the theology of church reform, and his followers were called Hussites.

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(born Jan. 12, 1580, Brussels, Belg.—died Dec. 30, 1644, Vilvoorde, Spanish Netherlands) Belgian chemist, physiologist, and physician. Though he tended to mysticism, he was a careful observer and exact experimenter. The first to recognize gases other than air, he coined the word gas and discovered that the “wild spirits” (carbon dioxide) produced by burning charcoal and by fermenting grape juice were the same. For applying chemical principles to digestion and nutrition, he has been called the “father of biochemistry.” His collected works were published in 1648.

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(born Jan. 13, 1596, Leiden, Neth.—died April 27, 1656, The Hague) Dutch painter and etcher. He studied in Leiden and Haarlem before settling at The Hague in 1632. Confining himself primarily to the scenery of Holland, he painted on wood panels; intricate detail, low horizons, and subtle atmospheric effects characterize his work. He excelled at capturing the moods of sky and water, Dutch cities, and lowland winter scenes. A prolific draftsman, he also executed many landscape etchings. He had numerous imitators. With Salomon van Ruysdael, he was the outstanding Dutch master of tonal landscape painting in the 17th-century.

Learn more about Goyen, Jan (Josephszoon) van with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Jan or JAN may refer to:

Given names:

• A variant of John especially in Dutch, Northern Germanic and Western Slavic Languages (in Slovak, spelled Ján).
• In English, shortened form of Janice or Janet

People (very selective listing, see all articles):

• Jan de Hartog (1914–2002), Dutch writer
• Jan Hus (burned 1415), Czech religious reformer
• Jan Hron, Rector of University of Life Sciences Prague
• Jan Howard (born 1930), American country music singer
• Jan Kvalheim (born 1963), Norwegian beach volleyball player
• Jan Matejko, Polish painter
• Jan Wohlschlag (born 1958), American high jumper
• Georg Jan (1791-1866), an Italian taxonomist
• Dominique Jan, a Columbia University surgeon
• Jan Palach, a Czech student self-immolated in 1969 protesting against Soviet invasion
• Jan Dismas Zelenka, Czech baroque composer

Other:

• The common abbreviation for the month of January
• Jan (comics), the pseudonym of Spanish comic book artist Juan López Fernández
• A Danish car brand between 1915 and 1918, made by Jan Hagemeister
• Jan (deity), a lunar deity in Kachin mythology

Acronyms:

• Japan Article Number, a barcode system
• Japanese Accepted Names for Pharmaceuticals, the Japanese equivalent of United States Adopted Name
• Jackson-Evers International Airport (IATA code: JAN), an airport in Jackson, Mississippi
• Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US Amtrak station code JAN

See also

• Ján
• John (first name)