MOOR (Sir Karel de), a capital painter of portraits, history, and conversations, was born at Leyden, in 1656: and at first was a disciple of Gerard Douw, with whom he continued for a considerable time. He afterwards studied successively under Abraham Vanden Tempel, Francis Mieris, and Godfrey Schaleken. As soon as he began to follow his profession, the public in a short time did justice to his extraordinary merit; and he took the most effectual method to establish his reputation, by working with a much stronger desire to acquire fame than to increase his fortune. According to Mr Pilkington, he painted portraits in a beautiful style, in some of them imitating the taste, the dignity, the force, and the delicacy of Vandyck; and in others, he showed the striking effect and spirit of Rembrandt. His pictures were always neatly and highly finished; he designed them excellently, and grouped the figures of his subjects with great skill. His works were universally admired; and some of the most illustrious princes of Europe seemed solicitous to employ his pencil. The grand duke of Tuscany desired to have the portrait of De Moor, painted by himself, to be placed in the Florentine gallery; and on the receipt of it, that prince sent him
in return a chain of gold and a large medal of the same metal. The Imperial ambassador count Sinzen-dorf, by order of his master, engaged him to paint the portraits of Prince Eugene and the duke of Marlborough on horseback; and in that performance, the dignity and expression of the figures, and also the attitudes of the horses, appeared so masterly, that it was beheld with admiration, and occasioned many commendatory poems in elegant Latin verse to be published to the honour of the artist; and the emperor, on seeing that picture, created De Moor a knight of the holy Roman empire. He likewise had the honour to paint the portrait of Peter the great czar of Muscovy; and an extraordinary number of other portraits, for which he received very large prices.—His historical paintings were admirable; although he most frequently was employed to paint in a large size, yet he often painted small easel pictures, with subjects of history or conversations; and those are exceedingly valued, having all the merit of neat penciling and sweet colouring added to an elegant taste of design. He died in 1738.