Frans van, the Younger Mieris

1689 – 1763

Dutch painter and writer, grandson of Frans van Mieris the Elder and son and pupil of Willem van Mieris. His oeuvre comprises portraits, several small history paintings and many genre scenes (e.g. the Grocer's Shop Seen through an Arched Window, 1715; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), which stylistically and thematically are similar to his father's work. His most important picture, the Three Generations (1742; Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal, Leiden), shows himself standing alongside his father, Willem, and holding in one hand a portrait of his famous grandfather, Frans, while pointing with the other to Houbraken 's De groote schouburgh, which lies open at an engraved portrait of the latter. In this way he demonstrated, with obvious pride, that he was from a distinguished family of painters, who for three generations had occupied a central position among Leiden artists. In addition to being a painter, he was well known for his historical and numismatic writings.

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