Born in a well-to-do artistic family and environment, both Joannes' father and stepfather were jewellers and silversmiths. The youngster's talent was recognised at early age which brought him apprenticeships to Warnaar Horstink (1756-1815) and Izaak de Wit Jansz.(1744-1809). He was a member of Pictura and Kweekeling at the Haarlem Teekencollege (Haarlem Drawing School) which he joined in 1799 and would become one of it's most talented members. Later he would also become one of the directors of the Haarlem Teekencollege.
Visser Bender made drawings after nature of Haarlem and it's surroundings, copies after The Twelve Months drawings (1791) by Jacob Cats (1741-1799) and also after drawings by Wybrand Hendriks (1744-1831) and Jan van Os (1744-1808). He acclaimed fame with his group of Strollers portraits of contemporary fellow townsmen and residents of Haarlem of which Teylers Museum has 33 of the group of 49.[1]
Our model appears to have been drawn several times by Visser Bender and is the same model as in the drawing in the collection of the Rijksmuseum which was drawn two days after our drawing.[2]
Another drawing from the series, dated 12-11-1813 was on the Fine Art market a while ago.[3]
All three drawings mentioned above were most probably drawn at the Haarlem Teekencollege.
[1] Leslie A. Schwartz, The Dutch Drawings in The Teyler Museum. Artists born between 1740 and 1800.
Haarlem/Ghent/Doornspijk, 2004. p.457-482.
[2]Joannes Pieter Visser Bender, Rokende jongeman, van achteren.
Black chalk, 262 x 155 mm.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, inv. no. RP-T-1951-34.
[3]Joannes Pieter Visser Bender, Study of a man standing.
Black chalk, 289 x 209 mm.
Previously with White Rose Fine Art, Delft.
