Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Heemskerk, Egbert van
HEEMSKERK, EGBERT van (1645–1704), painter, born at Haarlem in Holland in 1645, was son of a painter of the same name in that town, who painted clever pictures in the style of Teniers and Brouwer. Heemskerk studied under Pieter de Grebber, and followed the same style as his father, painting drinking scenes, village schools, humorous subjects, temptations of St. Anthony, and the like. He lived most of his life in London, where he was patronised by the Earl of Rochester. His paintings, though often gross in subject, were cleverly executed, and were very popular. Many were engraved, especially in mezzotint, by R. Earlom, J. Smith, and others, including some of ‘Quakers' Meetings,’ which are well known. He died in London in 1704, leaving a son of the same name, who was also a painter, but turned out badly, and eventually took to the stage at Sadler's Wells Theatre.
In the print room at the British Museum there are two portraits of Heemskerk, engraved in mezzotint, perhaps by himself, and published by I. Oliver, and also a portrait of Pierce Tempest after Heemskerk, engraved by F. Place. He frequently introduced his own portrait into his pictures. Vincent Bourne [q. v.] wrote poems on two of his pictures.
[Immerzeel's (and Kramm's) Levens en Werken der Hollandsche Kunstschilders; De Piles's Lives of the Painters (supplement); Granger's Biog. Hist. of England.]