Cornelisjanssens Ii Van Ceulen Paintings

Cornelius Johnson, also known as Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen II, was a Dutch portrait painter born in London in 1634. He was the son of the renowned Dutch painter Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen, who was also a portraitist and had moved to England in the early 17th century to establish a successful career. Despite sharing a name, the careers of father and son were quite different, and the younger Cornelius is often overshadowed by his father's reputation.

Cornelius Johnson II grew up in an artistic environment and learned the craft of painting from his father. However, records of his life and career are less comprehensive compared to those of his father, partly due to the commonality of their names and the dominance of his father's legacy in art history. His birth year is sometimes disputed, with some sources suggesting he may have been born a few years earlier or later.

Despite the lack of extensive records, it is known that Cornelius Johnson II worked in England during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War and the Commonwealth, which may have affected his career opportunities and the patronage he received. He is known to have produced portraits that exhibit a solid understanding of his father's style, with a focus on the clarity of detail and a somewhat reserved approach to color and composition.

Johnson II's death is recorded as 1715, and while he did not achieve the same level of fame as his father, his works are part of the narrative of Dutch and English portrait painting in the 17th century. Today, his paintings can be found in various art collections, where they contribute to the understanding of the period's lesser-known artists and their influences within the broader context of European art history.