MIERIS (Francis), the Old, a justly celebrated painter, was born at Leyden in 1635; and was at first placed under the direction of Abraham Toorne Vliet, one of the best designers of the Low Countries, and afterwards entered himself as a disciple with Gerard Douw. In a short time he far surpassed all his companions, and was by his master called the prince of his disciples. His manner of painting silks, velvets, stuffs, or carpets, was so singular, that the different kinds and fabric of any of them
might easily be distinguished. His pictures are rarely to be seen, and as rarely to be sold; and when they are, the purchase is extremely high, their intrinsic value being so incontestably great. Beside portraits, his general subjects were conversations, persons performing on musical instruments, patients attended by the apothecary or doctor, chymists at work, mercers shops, and such like; and the usual valuation he set on his pictures was estimated at the rate of a ducat an hour. The finest portrait of this master's hand is that which he painted for the wife of Cornelius Plaat, which is said to be still preserved in the family, although very great sums have been offered for it. In the possession of the same gentleman was another picture of Mieris, representing a lady fainting, and a physician applying the remedies to relieve her. For that performance he was paid (at his usual rate of a ducat an hour) so much money as amounted to fifteen hundred florins when the picture was finished. The grand duke of Tuscany wished to purchase it, and offered three thousand florins for it, but the offer was not accepted. However, that prince procured several of his pictures, and they are at this day an ornament to the Florentine collection. One of the most curious of them is a girl holding a candle in her hand, and it is accounted inestimable. This painter died in 1681.