Jan Olis

Lot description

(Gorinchem 1610–1676 Heusden) Two men smoking in an interior, signed lower centre (on the paper): . J. olis., oil on panel, 35.5 x 33 cm, framed Provenance: Private collection, Paris; sale, Artcurial, Paris, 27 March 2015, lot 192 (as Jan Olis); where acquired by the present owner In 17th-century Dutch genre painting, artists such as Jan Olis, Anthonie Palamedesz., Pieter Codde, Jacob Duck and Willem Duyster depicted young men from the nobility or upper class dressed in fashion associated with the soldiers and cavaliers of the period. These scenes relate to the so-called Guardroom genre which depicted soldiers engaged in leisure, gambling, or minor conflicts within barracks or guardhouses. The compositions of this new subgenre are set in modest interiors which contrast with the grand estates traditionally linked to the aristocracy. The figures in these compositions were engaged in everyday activities that reflected evolving social dynamics, including playing cards, conversing, drinking, and smoking, as exemplified in the present painting. The realist approach focused on simple objects, such as wooden chairs and plain tables, with natural light streaming through a single window. Olis, in particular, captured the contrast between his subjects' military backgrounds and their humble surroundings, making a significant contribution to the development of Dutch genre painting. Jan Olis’s career spans a variety of genres, including portraiture, genre scenes, still life, and architectural interiors. He became a member of the Dordrecht Guild in 1632 and had trained students. In 1637, Olis married Catharina van der Beeck, the daughter of a wine merchant, and was later registered as a wine merchant himself. Renowned for his ability to depict intimate domestic scenes, Olis skilfully conveyed the nuanced interplay between his subjects' military identities and their modest, everyday environments.