Willem van Mieris

The Sleeping Hurdy Gurdy player

George: “Works by Willem van Mieris never really appealed to me and I did not consider him for the KC until I saw this work: sometimes a painting just oozes quality!” Willem was the son and pupil of Frans van Mieris, himself a pupil of Gerrit Dou in Leiden who called Frans the ‘prince of his pupils’. Dated 1690 this is a masterpiece of Van Mieris’ early maturity. A stunning example of his virtuosity is the finish of the still life on the table. The hurdy-gurdy is unmatched in its realism.