, called Old Francis Miens, one of the most remarkable disciples of Gerard
, called Old Francis Miens, one of
the most remarkable disciples of Gerard Dow, was born at
Leyden, in 1635. He imitated his. master with great
diligence, and has been thought in some respects to surpass
him. Minute accuracy, in copying common objects on a
small scale, was the excellence of this artist, with the same
sweetness of colouring, and transparence that marks the
paintings of Dow. In design he has been thought more
comprehensive and delicate than his master, his touch
more animated, with greater freshness and force in his
pictures. His manner of painting silks, velvets, stuffs, or
carpets, was so studiously exact, that the differences of
their construction are clearly visible in his representations.
His pictures are scarce, and generally bear a very high
price. His own valuation of his time was a ducat an hour:
and for one picture of a lady fainting, with a physician
attending her, and applying remedies, he was paid at that
ratio, so large a sum as fifteen hundred florins. The grand
duke of Tuscany is said to have offered 3000 for it, but
was refused. One of the most beautiful of the works of
Francis Mieris, in this country, where they are not very
common, is in the possession of Mr. P. H. Hope, and is
known by the appellation of the “Shrimp Man.
” Mieris
died in