, was the nephew and disciple of the preceding, born at Delft in 1620,
, was
the nephew and disciple of the preceding, born at Delft in
1620, and arrived at a much higher degree of perfection
than his instructor. In his youth he went to France, and
exercised his art there for four years, and afterwards to
Rome, where he resided for seven years; and in both places
was encouraged by the patronage of persons of the first
distinction. In 1656, he returned to his own country,
and settled at Amsterdam, where his pictures were highly
valued, and sold at a very great price. Some of them are
still in the collections of the amateurs of that city. Van
Aelst knew his own merit, and would not submit to disrespect. On one occasion when a burgomaster of Amsterdam gave him a very haughty answer in a matter of some
importance to him, he opened his breast and shewed him
a gold chain and medal which the grand duke of Tuscany
had given him, adding, “You came into the world with a
sack of money, that is all your merit as to mine, it is in
my talents.
” Like his uncle he employed himself chiefly
on still life, and his pencil was so light, and his touch so
delicate, that the objects he painted seemed real. He died
in 1679.