Biography

Dutch painter, part of a family of painters, nephew of Daniel Mijtens I. In 1677 he moved to Sweden, where he became one of the most important portrait painters of this period. He painted the nobility, gentry and priesthood but not royalty, the position of court painter being held by David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl (1628-1698).

Martin Mijtens's portraits combined the sumptuousness of Ehrenstrahl with a Dutch-inspired individualism, which gives his pictures both a formal and an informal character. He was influenced by Italian, French, Dutch and Flemish portraiture, especially that of Anthony van Dyck.