Brief Biography-Adriaen Van der Werff was born in Kreglinger-Ambacht, Rotterdam in 1659. He studied with the portraitist Cornelis Picolet for two years and spent four years as a disciple of Elgon Van der Neer,after which he set up a studio in Rotterdam. When visiting Rotterdam, the Elector Palatine was so taken aback by Werff’s works that he hired him to paint in Dusseldorf for six months on receipt of a pension plus six thousand florins and to his wife, a toilette of silver. As a result, Van der Werff received a knighthood in 1703. Arnold Houbraken estimated Van der Werff as the best Dutch artist. His initial paintings were portraits influenced by Caspar Netscher, but he later changed to painting small historical works. His younger brother Pieter, whom he tutored, found success painting primarily in a domestic manner.