Gaspar de Crayer (1584–1669)

• Was a Flemish painter known for his many Counter-Reformation altarpieces and portraits.
• Gaspar de Crayer was born in Antwerp as the son of Gaspard de Crayer the Elde.
• His father was a decorative painter, illuminator and art dealer.
• Rather than stay in Antwerp, he looked for opportunity in the capital Brussels.
• He is believed to have studied under Raphael Coxie.
• He became a master in the Brussels Guild of Saint Luke in 1607. • He was a dean of the Guild from 1611 to 1616.
• He was a member of the Brussels city council in 1626–1627.
• Gaspar de Crayer's early works include portraits of the kings of Spain and the Spanish governors.
• Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria, brother of King Philip IV of Spain and governor of the Spanish Netherlands made him in 1633 his first court painter.
• He later worked as a court painter for the Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria who became governor in 1647.

• In his large workshop de Crayer trained between 1610 and 1661 a large number of pupils, including presumably Jan van Cleve (III), Anselm van Hulle and François Monnaville. 

• Gaspar de Crayer died on 27 January 1669 in Ghent.

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