Jan Baptist Xaverij

Jan Baptist (1697-1742) was the son and probably also the pupil of the sculptor Albertus Xaverij of Antwerp. Before travelling to Vienna in 1719, he worked for Michiel van der Voort. He also visited Italy. In 1721, Xaverij settled in The Hague, where he joined the artists guild. In 1729, he entered the service of Willem IV as court artist, carving the prince’s bust.

Xaverij was the leading sculptor in the Netherlands in the 18th century. His elegant work is in the Baroque style that dominated Europe at the time. Jan Baptist Xaverij two sons, Frans and Jacob, both became painters. Sculptor Pieter Xaverij, who moved from Antwerp to Leiden in 1670, may also have been a relative.