Joos van Craesbeeck (1625-1660)

• Was a Flemish baker and a painter.
• Joos van Craesbeeck was born in Neerlinter (now a village in Flemish Brabant, Belgium).
• Based on information provided by contemporary Flemish biographer Cornelis de Bie in his book Het Gulden Cabinet van Craesbeeck is believed to have become Brouwer's pupil and best friend.
• Van Craesbeeck became a master in Antwerp's Guild of Saint Luke in 1633–1634 as a baker and painter.
• In 1637 he was widowed and obtained an inheritance.
• That year he is recorded as the owner of a new house with a bakery in Antwerp.
• From this time onwards he was able to dedicate himself full-time to painting.

• The movements of van Craesbeek between 1637 and 1651, the year he became master in the Brussels Guild of Saint Luke are not clear.

• In 1653, Adriaen Rombouts was his pupil.
• The death date of van Craesbeeck is not known with certainty but it must be situated between 1660 and 1661 since in 1660 a Lucas Viters was registered as his pupil at the Guild and a year later Cornelis de Bie reported him as deceased.

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