Houbraken, Jacobus

(1698 - 1780)

Jacobus Houbraken (December 25, 1698-November 14, 1780), Dutch engraver, was born at Dordrecht.

All that his father, Arnold Houbraken (1660-1719), bequeathed to him was a fine constitution and a pure love for work. In 1707 he came to reside at Amsterdam, where for years he had to struggle incessantly against difficulties. He commenced the art of engraving by studying the works of Cornelis Cort, Jonas Suyderhoef, Gerard Edelinck and the Visschers.

He devoted himself almost entirely to portraiture. Among his best works are scenes from the comedy of "De Ontdekte Schijndeugd", executed in his eightieth year, after Cornelis Troost, who was called by his countrymen the Dutch Hogarth. Houbraken also engraved the portraits for his father's art historical work De Groote Schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen (1718-1721) and for Jan van Gool's Nieuwe schouburg der Nederlantsche kunstschilders (Den Haag 1750–51).

See A. Ver Hull, Jacobus Houbraken et son œuvre (Arnhem, 1875), where 120 engraved works are fully described.