(Gerard), an eminent Flemish painter, born at Leige in 1640. He received the principal part of his instruction from his father Renier de Lairese, Lairesse, though he is also accounted a disciple of Bar- tolet. He first settled at Utrecht, where he lived in distressed circumstances; but an accidental recommen- dation carrying him to Amsterdam, he soon exchan- ged want and obscurity for affluence and reputation. He was a perfect master of history; his designs are distinguished by the grandeur of the composition; and the backgrounds, wherever the subjects required it, are rich in architecture, which is an uncommon cir- cumstance in that country. He had the unhappiness to lose his sight several years before his death, which happened in 1711; so that the treatise on design and colouring, which passes under his name, was not wrote by him, but collected from his observations after he was blind, and published after his death. He had three sons, two of whom were painters; and also three brothers, Ernest, James, and John: Ernest and John painted animals, and James was a flower-painter. He engraved a good deal in aquafortis: his works consist of 256 plates, above half of which were done with his own hand. He wrote an excellent book on the art, which has been translated into English, and printed at London both in 4to and 8vo.