A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Osterwyk, Maria van
OSTERWYK, MARIA VAN,
A Dutch artist, gave such early proofs of her genius, that her father was induced to place her under the direction of John David de Heem, at Utrecht. She studied nature attentively, and improved so much by her master's precepts, that, in a short time, her works rivalled his. Her favourite subjects were flowers and still life, which she painted in a delicate manner, and with great freedom of hand. She had so much skill as to adapt her touch to the different objects she imitated. She grouped her flowers with taste, and imitated their freshness and bloom admirably. Louis the Fourteenth was exceedingly pleased with her performances, and honoured one with a place in his cabinet; as also did the Emperor and Empress of Germany, who sent to this artist their own miniatures set in diamonds as a mark of their esteem. King William the Third gave her nine hundred florins for one picture, and she was much more highly rewarded for another by the King of Poland. As she spent a great deal of time over her works, she could finish but few comparatively, which has rendered her paintings extremely scarce and valuable.