MIERIS, me'ris. A family of Dutch painters. FRANS VAN MIERIS, the elder (1635-81), a genre painter, was born in Leyden, April 12, 1635. He was a pupil of Torenvliet, of Gerard Doti. and of Adrian van den Tempel. His pictures are char acterized by elegance of drawing, and his coloring is clear, delicate, and rich, especially in painting velvets. satin, and other rich stuffs. They are treated too superficially and smoothly, however, to be strong. His principal works include the "Lady in the Crimson Jacket," National Gallery, London; "Lady at Her Toilet." "Two Ladies Drinking Tea," "Interior of a Household," and a "Male Portrait." in the Louvre; "Boy Blowing Soap-Bubbles" and "Artist and His Wife") 1663). in the Hague Museum; a "Lady Writing a Letter" (16S0) ; a "Lady Playing Guitar," Amsterdam Museum; the "Soldier" (1662) : "Woman Faint ing," Munich Gallery; and the "Tinker," Dres den Gallery.—JAN VAN MIERIS (1660-90). a genre and portrait painter, son and pupil of Frans the elder; he studied also under Lairesse. Ex amples of his work are an "Assembly of Ladies and Gentlemen with Lute-Player," Gotha Mu seum; "Surgeon Dressing a Wound." Hermitage.
Saint Petersburg.—WILLEat VAN MtEms (1662 1747), a genre and mythological painter and sculptor, was born in Leyden, the son and pupil of Frans the elder. His work represents the school in its decline, and is inferior to his father's in drawing and impasto. He also modeled statu ettes and vases adorned with bas-reliefs. Among his works are the "Trumpeter." the "Poultry Dealer." and the "Merry Toper," all in the Dres den Gallery.—FRANS VAN Mims, the younger (1689-1763). A genre painter and writer. He was the son and pupil of Willem, and a distin guished antiquary, and published works of merit on numismatics and history. His books in clude the Historic der nederlandsche vorsten (1732-35) and Groot der graven -ran Holland, van Zeeland en heron van Fries land (1753-50). Among his paintings are the "Pharmacy" (1714), Amsterdam Museum; por trait of his father (1737), Copenhagen Gallery; and the "Fishmonger" (1747), Rotterdam Mu seum.