Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 153 works by Frans van Mieris the Elder in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Frans van Mieris the Elder's most famous painting is A Meal of Oysters (1661), whose original hangs in the Mauritshuis, The Hague. The Serenade (1678) and Boy Blowing Bubbles (1663) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 153 works by Frans van Mieris the Elder in our catalog, the gallery presents the 100 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
Frans van Mieris’ “A Meal of Oysters,” painted in 1661, is more than just a depiction of a late-seventeenth-century luncheon; it's a masterfully rendered tableau of veiled desire and subtle deception. Within the intimate confines of an arched niche – a theatrical space suggesting clandestine meetings – van Mieris constructs a scene brimming with unspoken tension and the promise of illicit pleasure. The painting immediately draws the eye to the…
In the quietude of a 17th-century Dutch evening, Frans van Mieris the Elder invites us into a world of whispered secrets and melodic intimacy. His masterpiece, The Serenade, is far more than a mere depiction of musical performance; it is a profound exploration of the human connection, captured through the lens of the legendary fijnschilder technique. As the eye wanders across the canvas, one is immediately struck by the dramatic…
Frans van Mieris the Elder's "Boy Blowing Bubbles," painted in 1663, isn’t merely a charming depiction of childhood; it’s a meticulously crafted window into the heart of the Dutch Golden Age. This oil on panel painting, now residing within the hallowed halls of the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, transcends simple portraiture to become a profound meditation on transience, innocence, and the subtle beauty found within everyday life. Van Mieris,…
A single candle flickers on the left, casting a warm, golden glow that carves a sanctuary out of the darkness. In this intimate space, a young woman leans forward, her focus entirely consumed by the quiet act of writing. The light catches the delicate curve of her hands and the pale surface of the paper, leaving the rest of the room to dissolve into deep, shadowy browns and rich reds.…
In this mythological painting, titled Venus and Cupid, we encounter a scene rendered by Frans van Mieris the Elder. Created in 1665, the work belongs to the period when the artist was active between 1635 and 1681. The subject matter draws from classical mythology, focusing on the figures of the goddess of love and her son.
In the Portrait of a Young Lady by Frans van Mieris the Elder, the composition is an oval-shaped bust-length portrait. The subject's face and upper torso are positioned against a dark, undifferentiated background. This lack of environmental detail directs focus toward the figure. The color palette is dominated by the warm, fleshy tones of the skin. These tones contrast with the deep black of a large hat worn by the…
In the quiet corners of the Dutch Golden Age, there exists a profound beauty found not in grand spectacles, but in the rhythmic, meditative pulse of everyday life. The Lacemaker serves as a breathtaking window into this era of domestic tranquility. The painting captures a young woman lost in the delicate, painstaking labor of her craft, her focus so absolute that the world around her seems to dissolve into a…
In this 1659 oil on panel, we encounter a man who seems to exist in a moment of profound stillness. He is positioned at a three-quarter length, leaning slightly against a stone plinth that anchors him within the composition. His gaze is calm, perhaps even enigmatic, inviting a sense of quiet contemplation rather than immediate confrontation. The lighting is highly directional, a hallmark of the Dutch Baroque, casting a soft…
In this intimate scene, we find ourselves drawn into a nocturnal moment of quiet tension. The composition is built upon a triangular arrangement that directs our gaze toward a central, unfolding drama. A woman, partially veiled, sits upon a stool, her fingers poised over a lute. Her expression carries a sense of resignation, a subtle weight that contrasts with the man leaning toward her from the shadows. He is draped…
The artwork is titled Portrait of a Lady and was executed by the artist Frans van Mieris the Elder. This oil painting, which dates to about 1665, presents a formal depiction of a young lady. The subject is positioned in a three-quarter length view, facing the viewer from a centered composition.
Old man with a pipe and a tankard1653 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
12
A Sick Woman and Her Doctor1657 · Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
13
A Soldier in a Red Beret1667 · Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
14
Boy with a Birdcage in a Window1665 · Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
15
Portrait of a Lady with a Lapdog1672 · Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
16
Young Woman at her Toilet1667 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
17
Young Woman in the Morning1659 · Hermitage Museum
18
The Young Mother1670 · Galleria Sabauda
19
A Merry Gentleman1665 · Statens Museum For Kunst
20
Portrait of François de le Boë (Sylvius) and his Wife1672 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
21
A Man in Oriental Costume1665 · Mauritshuis
22
Portrait of a Husband and Wife1675 · Philadelphia Museum of Art
23
Portrait of a Painter1665 · Statens Museum For Kunst
24
An Old Scholar sharpening his Quill Pen1653 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
25
Young Woman with Feather Fan Prepared to Go Out1658 · Kunstmuseum Basel
26
A Woman and a Procuress (Bathsheba)1671 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
27
A gentleman and a lady1678 · Rijksmuseum
28
Old Woman with a Flower Pot1653 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
29
A Woman Playing a Lute1663 · Scottish National Gallery
30
Bystanders1658 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
31
Self-portrait1661
32
Woman with sheet music and a man with a violin1659
33
An alchemist and his assistant in a workshop1655
34
An Elderly Couple in an Interior1655
35
The Child's Lesson1657
36
Old Soldier Holding a Pipe1656 · Allentown Art Museum
37
The Charlatan1654
38
The Peasant Meal1653
39
The Painter's Studio1656 · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
40
A Trumpeter1658 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
41
Tavern scene1656 · Museum de Lakenhal
42
the vegetable seller1650
43
the onion Seller1650
44
child with bird's cage1660
45
lady playing guitar1660
46
couple in interior1660
47
Man with Large Rummer1668
48
The Drinker1670 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
49
Young Woman Singing1671
50
Gyges Spying on Queen Nyssia in the bedroom of King Candaules1670 · Staatliches Museum Schwerin
51
Portrait of Cunera van der Cock, the painter's wife1662
52
Portrait of Agatha Paets1665
53
A Woman Standing before a Mirror1662
54
Self-portrait in a red beret1670 · Gemäldegalerie
55
A Portrait of a Lady1673
56
Portrait of a Gentleman, Holding a Glove in His Gloved Hand1670 · Ascott House
57
Portrait of a Merchant in a Banyan, Holding a Business Document1673 · Ascott House
58
The Artist as Virtuoso at His Easel: Self Portrait, Aged 321667 · Polesden Lacey
59
Self-portrait as a Merry Toper1673 · Liechtenstein Museum
60
Portrait of a Man1663
61
The Old Lover1673
62
A Sleeping Courtesan1669
63
Portrait of a Twenty-Five-Year Old Woman1669
64
Portrait of a Thirty-Year-Old Man1669
65
Portrait of a Fifty-Two-Year Old man1665
66
The interrupted song1671 · Petit Palais
67
A Woman Pulling a Dog's Ear (Portrait of the Artist's Wife, Cunera van der Cock)1662 · Worcester Art Museum
68
A Soldier Smoking a Pipe1662 · Worcester Art Museum
69
Portrait of the Wife of the Artist, Cunera van der Cock1662 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
70
Self portrait1662 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
71
The Sleeping Officer1666 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
72
Still life with boot, in the background two figures1666 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
73
Woman before the Mirror1670 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
74
Woman Sealing a Letter by Candlelight1667
75
Woman before a Mirror1662 · Gemäldegalerie
76
Young woman at her toilet1663
77
The Sick Lady1665
78
Selfportrait of Frans van Mieris (I)1668 · Staatliches Museum Schwerin
79
Portrait of Cunera van der Cock, wife of the painter1662 · Staatliches Museum Schwerin
80
A Young Woman Writing a Letter1670
81
A Man Tuning a Violin1680
82
A Woman Reading and a Man Seated at a Table1676
83
Self-portrait1676
84
Man playing the Theorbo1676
85
The Empty Glass1683
86
Woman with A Lapdog, Accompanied by a Maidservant1680
87
Self-portrait1677
88
An Elegant Company in an Interior1675
89
Portrait of a Man with a Cane1675
90
Woman at her Toilet1678
91
Couple Conversing1679 · Statens Museum For Kunst
92
Old woman selling chestnuts and red herring1722 · Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister im Schloss Wilhelmshöhe
93
Broken Egg1656 · Hermitage Museum
94
Woman before the Mirror (detail)1670 · Alte Pinakothek
95
Woman Writing a Letter1680 · Rijksmuseum
96
Man and Woman with Two Dogs, known as 'Teasing the Pet'1660 · Mauritshuis
97
Oyster Eaters1659 · Hermitage Museum
98
The Violin Player1850
99
A Soldier Smoking a Pipe1658 · National Gallery of Art
100
Old Peasant Holding a Jug1731 · Hermitage Museum
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Frans van Mieris the Elder | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden |
Dresden | 9 | Old man with a pipe and a tankard, Young Woman at her Toilet, Portrait of François de le Boë (Sylvius) and his Wife |
 Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Munich | 8 | Bystanders, A Trumpeter, Portrait of the Wife of the Artist, Cunera van der Cock |
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 6 | Young Woman Writing a Letter, Young Woman in the Morning, Broken Egg |
 Mauritshuis |
The Hague | 6 | A Meal of Oysters, Boy Blowing Bubbles, A Man in Oriental Costume |
 Statens Museum For Kunst |
Copenhagen | 6 | Portrait of a Lady, A Merry Gentleman, Portrait of a Painter |
 Staatliches Museum Schwerin |
Schwerin | 3 | Gyges Spying on Queen Nyssia in the bedroom of King Candaules, Selfportrait of Frans van Mieris (I), Portrait of Cunera van der Cock, wife of the painter |
 Rijksmuseum |
Amsterdam | 6 | A gentleman and a lady, Woman Writing a Letter |
 Gemäldegalerie |
Berlin | 3 | Self-portrait in a red beret, Woman before a Mirror |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In the Portrait of a Young Lady by Frans van Mieris the Elder, the composition is an oval-shaped bust-length portrait. The subject's face and upper torso are positioned against a dark, undifferentiated background. This lack of environmental detail directs focus toward the figure. The color palette is dominated by the warm, fleshy tones of the skin. These tones contrast with the deep black of a large hat worn by the…
Frans van Mieris’ “A Meal of Oysters,” painted in 1661, is more than just a depiction of a late-seventeenth-century luncheon; it's a masterfully rendered tableau of veiled desire and subtle deception. Within the intimate confines of an arched niche – a theatrical space suggesting clandestine meetings – van Mieris constructs a scene brimming with unspoken tension and the promise of illicit pleasure. The painting immediately draws the eye to the…
In the quietude of a 17th-century Dutch evening, Frans van Mieris the Elder invites us into a world of whispered secrets and melodic intimacy. His masterpiece, The Serenade, is far more than a mere depiction of musical performance; it is a profound exploration of the human connection, captured through the lens of the legendary fijnschilder technique. As the eye wanders across the canvas, one is immediately struck by the dramatic…
We are looking at A Man Tuning a Violin, a work executed by Frans van Mieris the Elder in 1680. This piece emerged from the artist's hand during a period when his reputation for precision was firmly established. The painting captures a quiet, singular moment of concentration, rendered with the meticulous attention to detail that defined his practice.
A Meal of Oysters (1661), Mauritshuis, The Hague. The Serenade (1678) and Boy Blowing Bubbles (1663) come next.
26 years old: A Meal of Oysters dates from 1661, and Frans van Mieris the Elder was born in 1635.
A Meal of Oysters, The Serenade, Boy Blowing Bubbles, Young Woman Writing a Letter, Venus and Cupid, Portrait of a Young Lady, The Lacemaker, Portrait of a Man, The Serenade and Portrait of a Lady. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 153 works by Frans van Mieris the Elder, dated from 1650 to 1680.
Mostly in Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden), Bavarian State Painting Collections (Munich) and Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1660s: 38 of the 100 works on this page were made then, A Meal of Oysters among them.
On this page, the earliest is the vegetable seller (1650) and the latest A Man Tuning a Violin (1680).
Woman (55), Man (51) and Table (17), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil On Panel, for 49 of the 100 works on this page.
Dutch golden age, judging by the originals on this page.
Old man with a pipe and a tankard, Young Woman at her Toilet and Portrait of François de le Boë (Sylvius) and his Wife: the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Dresden holds 7 of the works on this page.
