Teniers the Younger, David

David Teniers the Younger was notably the most famous and renowned member in a family of painters and draftsmen. Although Teniers was prolific, and painted nearly every type of picture, he was best known for his small cabinet pictures and rustic genre scenes. It was these rustic genre paintings that were most coveted by great collectors, amongst whom were Archduke Leopold Wilhelm and Charles I of England.

Teniers became a master in Antwerp in 1632, and worked there before settling in Brussels in 1651. He was the court painter to the Archduke, who was one of the most reputable connoisseurs and collectors of paintings and decorative art. As court painter and “keeper,” Teniers traveled to England in 1650-55 to purchase pictures from Charles I’s collection; these were then sold off by the Commonwealth.