CRAEN, Laurens
(b. 1620 Den Haag, d. 1663 Middelburg)
Dutch painter and draftsman. This little-known master was mainly active in Middelburg from around 1649, but he was also active in Antwerp and The Hague. During his stay in Antwerp, he was strongly influenced by Jan Davidsz. de Heem. His small oeuvre consists of fruit and flower pieces and larger, more ambitious banquet pieces depicting fine foodstuffs and tableware, situated near the corner of a table. In these banquets, his choice of items invariably includes abundant displays of fruit, together with a joint of meat, or a lobster, crab or oysters.
He was a member of the Guild of St Luke in Middleburg from 1654.
