Women Painters in Belgium and in Holland

S far as we are able to ascertain, the history of the present subject takes us back to the time of Hubert and Jean Van Eyck, whose sister Marguerite made a name for herself in art. In the important volume by M. J. du Jardin, "L'Art Flamand," there is reproduced a drawing "after" a miniature by Marguerite Van Eyck, representing St. Catherine and St. Agnes, but we read elsewhere that "no work can with certainty be attributed to her." oil paintings for sale
Among women workers a century later, we find: Clara de Keyzer, Suzanne Horebout and Anna Smyters, all three of Ghent. Clara de Keyzer, who flourished about 1530, visited Germany, Italy, France and Spain. Suzanne Horebout (1503-1545) was the daughter of Gerard Horebout, a painter of Ghent, who betook himself to England, and became painter to Henry VIII. Dürer knew him at Antwerp, in 1521, and there paid homage to the skill of his daughter, who was then barely 18 years of age. She accompanied her father to England, and was there received with the utmost favour; she made a rich marriage with John Parcker (or Parker), one of the King's archers, and died full of honours in her adopted country. original oil paintings
Anne Smyters who flourished about 1540, is named in words of praise by Van Mander, Vaernewyck and Guicciardini. She married the celebrated sculptor, Jean de Heere, and was the mother of Luc de Heere, the painter, who made a long stay in England, where, among other works of importance, he did a series of decorative paintings for the Earl of Lincoln. abstract oil painting
Siret's "Dictionnaire" tells us that "in 1868, M. Lescart, a barrister of Mons, was the possessor of the only known picture by Catherine van Hemessen. This is a half-length study of the Virgin fondling the infant Christ, with a background of landscape wherein one perceives snow. It is painted on wood, and bears the signature: 'Caterina de Hemessen pingebat.'" But there is in London an interesting portrait of a man, by her, dated 1552, and an illustration of it will be found on page 263. modern abstract oil painting

Then comes a series of daughters (and a sister) of famous painters, viz: Justine van Dyck; Gertrude van Veen; Catherine Pepyn; Catherine Peeters; Anne-Marie, Françoise-Catherine and Marie-Thérèse van Thielen; and Laurence-Catherine Ykens. The daughter of Antony van Dyck was born in London, in 1641. "She was wedded at the age of 12," says Siret's "Dictionnaire," "to Sir John Stepney de Prendergast, and abjured Protestantism at Antwerp on the 19th of August, 1660. Left a widow, she made a second marriage with Martin de Carbonell. Van Dyck's daughter was unfortunate, for she found herself compelled to ask the King for a pension, which she obtained." oil paintings for sale online