Gilbert Soest

Gilbert Soest (c. 1605–1681). A portrait painter of Dutch origin, Soest was probably born and trained in the Netherlands before settling in England. His earliest known dated work appears in 1646, marking the beginning of a career that would span several decades. Though he established a respectable practice and painted a number of notable figures, Soest never secured the patronage of the court and remained outside the most fashionable artistic circles in London. His body of work nevertheless reflects the influence of Dutch portraiture and provides an important link between continental and English traditions in the mid-seventeenth century.