David van der Kellen Sr. explained

David van der Kellen Sr. (1764, Velsen  - 1825, Utrecht), was a 19th-century engraver and medallist from the Netherlands.

Biography

According to van der Aa, he lost both parents at a young age and was brought up in the Lutheran orphanage in Haarlem.[1] He chose to become a goldsmith and learned drawing, sculpting, and engraving, whereupon he went to work in Amsterdam for Holtzhey.[1] According to the RKD he was a pupil of Johann Georg Holtzhey in Amsterdam.[2] He made medals for special occasions as well as official coins and became the mint master for the city of Utrecht.[2] He was the father and teacher of David Jr. who succeeded him.[2]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/aa__001biog12_01/aa__001biog12_01_0124.php David van der Kellen
  2. https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/90500 David van der Kellen I