Jan Frans Soolmaker (1635 – after 1665, possibly 1686)

• Was a Flemish painter and draughtsman.
• Jan Frans Soolmaker was born in Antwerp.
• He is recorded in April 1654 upon becoming a pupil of the little known Jan de Bruin in Antwerp.
• Soolmaker is recorded in December 1665 as drawing up his last will.
• It was the usual practice in the 17th century for people to draft their will before starting out on a perilous journey.
• He apparently intended to travel to Italy via Portugal.
• It is not clear whether he in fact set out on that journey.
• A signed Italian landscape dated 1668 was sold by Mak van Waay on 8 October 1973 in Amsterdam.

• Should that date be authentic, it has to be assumed he was still alive two years after drafting his last will.

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