Jan
Sanders van Hemessen is a Netherlandish, Flemish, painter of religious
and genre scenes and portraits. Very little is known about him. He was
born in Hemiksen, near Antwerp, around 1500. In 1524, he became a master
of the Antwerp St. Lukas Guild. About 1550 he moved to Haarlem, where he
died c. 1565-1575.
His paintings on popular proverbs and religious parables are fulfilled
in a realistic style. Hemessen possessed not only artistic skills but also
a keen sense of humour, his paintings look like satire on everyday life.
Hemessen is considered one of the founders of Flemish genre painting.
