Frans van Mieris, the Elder (16 April 1635 - 12 March 1681),

He was a Dutch Golden Age genre and portrait painter. The leading member of a Leiden family of painters, his sons Jan (1660-1690) and Willem (1662-1747) and his grandson Frans van Mieris the Younger (1689-1763) were also accomplished genre painters.

Frans was born and died in Leiden, where his father Jan Bastiaans van Mieris was a goldsmith, carver of rubies and diamond setter. His father wished to train him to his own business, but Frans preferred drawing, and studied with Jacob Toorenvliet's father, Abraham Toorenvliet, a glazier who kept a school of design. From his own father's shop he became familiar with the ways and dress of people of distinc...