Leyster, Judith, << LY stuhr, YOO deet >> (1609-1660), was a Dutch painter. She specialized in two popular types of Dutch scenes. One portrayed men drinking and noisily amusing themselves in taverns. The other showed women sitting at home quietly performing domestic tasks. Leyster was one of the first artists to paint these women’s scenes, which became popular later in the 1600’s. Leyster’s style reflects the influence of the Dutch artist Frans Hals, as in her quick, vivid brushstrokes. Her strong light-and-shadow effects recall the style of the Italian artist Michelangelo Caravaggio, whose school had many Dutch followers in the early 1600’s.
Leyster was born on June 28, 1609, in Haarlem. Little is known about her early artistic training, but by the age of 17 she had gained some fame as an artist. Her largest output came from 1629 to 1636, when she married. After her marriage, her production greatly decreased. She died on Feb. 10, 1660.
