BUESEM, Jan Jansz.

Dutch painter. He was active in Amsterdam where he was registered between 1637 and 1649. He was a pupil of Pieter Jansz. Quast around 1630, from whom he obtained his technique and style. Most of the artist’s works have brown and ocher tones which represent taverns with smokers, playing cards, and villagers drinking. These painting remind the viewer of the paintings by Adriaen Brouwer in his first period, although the works of Buesem have an interesting psychological background.

When the artist started working, he painted several church interiors, such as one that is dated 1627, which was auctioned in a public sale in Amsterdam in 1888. There are also inventories, which keep track of these types of works by the artist. The painter’s works bear much strength; his characters are grotesque and caricaturized with superb strokes. Some of his paintings were signed with the letter B, leading sometimes to confusion of his works with those by Pieter de Bloot. A vanitas painting monogrammed with IB is also known.