Biography

Jürgen (Jurriaen) Ovens, German portrait painter from North Frisia. According to Arnold Houbraken, he was a a pupil of Rembrandt, but research since has proven that theory to be false. He is best known for his painting in the city hall of Amsterdam and paintings for the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp for whom he worked for more than 30 years, also as an art dealer.

Ovens was the son of the farmer and alderman Ove Broders and Agneta Ovens (also called Broders). He grew up in Tönning, Duchy of Schleswig. Since 1640 he worked for Hendrick van Uylenburgh with Govaert Flinck in the Sint Antoniesbreestraat. He probably went to Italy between 1643 and 1649. Until 1651, he lived in Amsterdam, then from May 1651 he went back to Schleswig-Holstein, claimed by Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. In 1652 he married Maria Jens Martens (daughter of a rich Tönning alderman) in Friedrichstadt. His father-in-law gave him 60,000 Thaler, but demanded that he settle down nearby.

In 1654 Ovens spent a few weeks in Stockholm to paint the marriage between Charles X Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. In 1657 Ovens travelled to Amsterdam because of a war between the Swedish and the Danish. He cooperated with Flinck. Ovens became a citizen of Amsterdam in order to get a job, as the rules of guilds were very strict. Ovens was appreciated for his portraits and painted Nicolaes Tulp twice, his daughter Margaretha Tulp, her brother Dirk and his wife Anna Burgh. He also painted - among others - portraits of Charles II of England and Christina of Sweden.

In 1661 Ovens was asked to finish a painting begun by Flinck. The painting had to be placed in the town hall, within a few days, when Rembrandt's painting The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis was rejected. Ovens was paid 48 guilders, very little compared to the others, but still a good salary in those days.

Ovens returned to Friedrichstadt at the instruction of Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, as one of the richest inhabitants. From 1674 to 1675, he lived again in Holland and painted Michiel de Ruyter and Joan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen. After returning to Holstein he painted the altarpiece of St Christopher's in Friedrichstadt, painting himself in its top right section. His grave is also in the church.

Ovens' best-known work is the Blue Madonna in Schleswig Cathedral. A self-portrait may be seen in the Laurentius-Kirche in Tönning. Further works by Ovens can be found in the collections of the Schleswig-Holsteinischen Landesmuseums at the Schloss Gottorf. He made 45 paintings for the Amalienburg in Gottorf. The Earl of Arundel owned seventeen paintings by Ovens; the collection was sold in 1684.