Jan Frans Soolmaker Paintings

Jan Frans Soolmaker, also known as Jan Fransz Soolmaker or Jan Francois Soolmaker, was a Flemish or Dutch painter whose life details are relatively obscure due to the lack of comprehensive historical records. His birth date is not documented, but he is believed to have been active as a painter during the second half of the 17th century, primarily in the 1660s and 1670s. Soolmaker is known for his landscape paintings, which often depict wooded scenes and are stylistically reminiscent of the works of Jacob van Ruisdael, one of the foremost landscape painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Soolmaker's landscapes typically feature an adept use of light and shadow, creating atmospheric depth and a sense of the dramatic in his compositions.

There are indications that Soolmaker may have traveled to Italy, as some of his landscapes bear a resemblance to Italian scenery; however, concrete evidence of such travels is lacking. His works were sometimes mistakenly attributed to Ruisdael due to their stylistic similarities, which has led to difficulties in constructing a distinct biography and a comprehensive catalog of his oeuvre.

Jan Frans Soolmaker's death is believed to have occurred around 1685. While he did not gain the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, his paintings are valued for their contribution to the landscape genre and provide insight into the stylistic trends and artistic influences of his time. Soolmaker's works are held in various art collections and occasionally appear in art auctions, where they are appreciated by collectors and experts in Flemish and Dutch art.