BLANKOF, JOHN TEUNISZ, a painter, was born at Alkmaar in 1628, and received his earliest instruction from Arent Tierling; but afterwards was successively the disciple of Peter Scheyenburg and Caesar Van Everdingen. When he had spent some years with these masters, he went to Rome, where he occupied himself in copying the works of the best masters, and was admitted into the society of Flemish painters called Bentvogels, who gave him the name of Jan Maat, or John the Mate, by which he is most generally known. His subjects were landscapes, with views of rivers, sea-shores, havens, or ports, which he executed with a light and free pencil. His best performance is a view of the sea-shore, with the waves retiring at ebb tide; and it is described by Houbraken as being wonderfully beautiful and natural. He died in 1670.