Jan Sanders van Hemessen

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.