Jan van der Heyden (1637 - 712 )

Field(s) of interest: scientific instruments | art
Gender: male

Born: Gorinchem, 05-03-1637
Died: Amsterdam, 28-03-1712

Biography:
Jan van der Heyden was a painter and an inventor. In 1671, he had and his brother Nicolaas received a patent for inventing (and possibly making) a scoop wheel and a tube pump. Earlier, he had already designed improved street lights for the city of Amsterdam. Additionally, Van der Heyden also developed an improved fire hose pump. In 1697, Tsar Peter the Great paid him a visit and tried to convince the inventor to move to Russia, but Van der Heyden refused. He did sell the Tsar several fire hose pumps. Van der Heyden lived in the Koestraat, near the Nieuwmarkt for over thirty years in the former Latin School of Amsterdam. Next to an inventor, he was also a renowned painter of landscapes. He travelled to many cities around Europe to paint cityscapes and sold one of his works to Cosimo III de Medici. Van der Heyden not only worked with his brother, his son, Jan van der Heyden the Younger, was also active in the company and would eventually succeed him.

Collection: several museums through the world, a.o. Museum Boerhaave Leiden.

Occupations:
inventor and painter: ~1660 - 1712 (Amsterdam)

Sources:
Kleyn, A.R. 'Jan van der Heyden, Spiegelen Lijstenmaker, Werktuigkundige, Teekenaar, Schilder, Uitvinder, Verlichtingsdeskundige en Brandmeester', in: Sibbe 2 (1944).

Heyden, J. van der en J. van der Heyden Jr., Beschryving der nieuwlijks uitgevonden en geoctrojeerde slang-brand-spuiten, en haare wijze van brand-blussen tegenwoordig binnen Amsterdam in gebruik zijnde ; Nevens beschryving der brand-ordres van de stad Amsterdam (Amsterdam 1690).

Heyden, J. van der en J. van der Heyden Jr., Beschryving der brand-ordres, en wijze van brandblussen, tegenwoordig binnen Amsterdam in gebruik zijnde (Amsterdam 1695).

Vries, L. de. Jan van der Heyden (Amsterdam 1984).

Sutton, P.C. e.a., Jan van der Heyden (1637-1712) (New Haven 2006).