Abraham van Beyeren

Abraham Hendriksz van Beijeren or Abraham van Beyeren (c. 1620, The Hague – March 1690, Overschie (Rotterdam)) was a Dutch Baroque painter of still lifes. Little recognized in his day, he is now considered one of the most important painters of still lifes, and in particular still lifes of fish and so-called 'pronkstillevens', i.e. sumptuous still lifes of luxurious objects.

Abraham van Beijeren trained with Tyman Arentsz. Cracht in 1636. He lived in Leiden in 1638-1639 where in 1639 he married Emmerentia Stercke. He was back in The Hague in 1640 where he became a master of the local Guild of Saint Luke.

After the death of his first wife he was left to raise three daughters. He married with Anna van den Queborn in 1647. His second wife was a painter and daughter of the painter Crispijn van den Queborn. Anna's aunt was married to Pieter de Putter, a painter of fish still lifes. De Putter may have been the source of van Beijeren’s initial interest in the genre of fish still lifes as well as his tutor in this genre.

Van Beijeren’s initial works were marine and fish still life paintings. These were not very well paid at the time and the relative poverty of van Beijeren may explain his frequent moves from one place to another. He resided in Delft from 1657 where he joined the local Guild of Saint Luke. In 1663 he returned to The Hague where he remained until 1669 when he moved to Amsterdam. Further moves followed: to Alkmaar in 1669, then Gouda in 1675 and finally Overschie (Rotterdam) in 1677. This was his last home.

The artist may have been doing better financially in his later years as he was able to buy a house in Overschie for 1,000 guilders of which 600 was covered by a mortgage. His wife was reported as being sick in bed in 1679 when she made her will. The date of her death is unknown. Van Beijeren died in Overschie in 1690.

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