(b Antwerp, 30 March 1697; d The Hague, 19 July 1742). Flemish sculptor. He was the son of the Antwerp sculptor Albertus Xavery (1664–1728), who was probably his first teacher. Xavery entered the studio of Michiel van der Voort I, where he remained until moving in 1719 to Vienna, from where he travelled to Italy. He returned in 1721 and settled in The Hague, where, in 1725, he became a member of the Confrerie Pictura, the painters’ guild. In the same year he married Maria Christina Robart, and the couple had two sons: the painter Frans Xavery, who became a master in 1768, and the painter Jacob Xavery IV (1736–after 1779). In 1729 Jan Baptist Xavery became Court Sculptor to Prince William IV of Orange Nassau. In the early years of his career Xavery was strongly influenced by Jacob Marot, as may be seen in his portrait of Prince William IV (marble, 1733; The Hague, Mauritshuis), which is fluently sculpted and sparsely embellished. Later, Xavery’s style became more elaborate, as may be seen in the Allegory of Faith (1735; Haarlem, Grotekerk). It would seem that Xavery also worked briefly in Kassel c. 1737 for Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (reg 1730–51). It is probable that he was related to the sculptor Pieter Xavery.

• Xavery, Jan Baptist
  • Belgium, §IV, 3: Sculpture, c 1550–1830
  • Hague, The, §II, 2: Art life and organization, c 1585–1799
  • pupils
    • Wall, Willem Hendrik van der
  • works
    • Cressant, Jacob
    • Netherlands, the, §IV, 2: Sculpture, c 1568–c 1800
    • Netherlands, the, §X, 1: Ivory