Notes

Jan de Beijer was a famous draughtsman of Dutch city and town views. He was born in Switzerland and moved to Emmerik with his parents at an early age. From there he moved to Amsterdam around 1722, to learn the drawing trade from Cornelis Pronk, who was considered the most important topographical draughtsman of his time. De Beijer was one of his most gifted students, and made a name for himself with remarkably accurate topographical drawings that met the great demand for exact representations of Dutch cities and architecture at that time.

From his hometown of Amsterdam, Emmerik and Vierlingsbeek in Brabant, De Beijer traveled to Limburg, Gelderland, Oosterlijk Brabant and the Lower Rhine area to make drawings. Much of his work from that period can be found in the ‘Atlas of Fouquet’ (1729-1800). After his working periods in Amsterdam, De Beijer left for Kleve. According to some sources he died in Emmerik, but Kleve and Doesburg are also mentioned.

In total, he produced some 1500 drawings, over 600 of which were reproduced as engravings by other artists. Only a handful of paintings remain of the artist.