De Gheyn was born in
Antwerp and received his first training from his father, Jacob de Gheyn I, a
glass painter, engraver, and
draftsman. In 1585, he moved to
Haarlem, where he studied under
Hendrik Goltzius for the next five years. He moved again, to
Leiden, in the middle of the 1590s. His work attracted the attention of wealthy sponsors, and his first commission was for an engraving of the
Siege of Geertruidenberg from
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange. This event, from 27 March to 24 June 1593, had been more of a demonstration of power by Prince Maurits, than an actual war, and had even attracted tourists. As a publicity stunt, the siege and its subsequent engraving were successful in propagating an image of Prince Maurits as an able general. Around 1600, de Gheyn abandoned engraving, and focused on painting and
etching. Moving to The Hague in 1605, he was employed often by
Dutch royalty, designing a garden in the
Buitenhof for
Prince Maurice of Orange which featured the two first
grottoes in the Netherlands. After Prince Maurice's death in 1625, de Gheyn worked for his brother,
Prince Frederick Henry. De Gheyn painted some of the earliest female
nudes,
vanitas, and floral
still lifes in
Dutch art. He is credited with creating over 1,500 drawings, including
landscapes and
natural history illustrations. He produced 117 engravings for the military manual
The Exercise of Armes while living in
Amsterdam. De Gheyn married Eva Stalpaert van der Wiele of
Mechelen in 1595. De Gheyn died in
The Hague. File:'Vase of Flowers with a Curtain', oil on panel painting by Jacques de Gheyn II, 1615.jpg|'Vase of Flowers with a Curtain', 1615. File:Jacob de Gheyn - Wapenhandelinge 4.jpg|Engraving of
musketeer from his
Wapenhandelinge File:Jacob de Gheyn (II) Spanish battle stallion 1603.jpg|Spanish battle stallion 1603. Image:Vier studies van een zieke muis, RP-T-1880-A-98.jpg|Drawing in waterpaint by Jacques de Gheyn,
Four times a mouse ==References==