Nicholas
Mas

Born in the family of a wealthy merchant. About 1648, came to Amsterdam and was apprenticed in the workshop of Rembrandt, where he remained until 1653. In 1653 Nicholas Maes returned to Dordrecht and opened his own workshop. Between 1665 and 1667 year, the Maes has visited and perhaps even lived for some time in Antwerp. Then he returned to Dordrecht, and in 1673 he moved to Amsterdam, where he lived until his death.

Nicolas Maas (niderl. Nicolaes Maes, there are also the writing of Nicholas Maes, Nicolas Mas, Nicolas Maes, Nicholas Mays and Nicolaes Maes, baptized in January 1634, Dordrecht — buried November 24, 1693, Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter famous for his portraits and genre scenes, one of the last representatives of the Golden age of Dutch painting. Born in the family of a rich merchant Gerrit Maas and IDA Herman. Apparently, he began to study painting in Dordrecht. About 1648, came to Amsterdam and was apprenticed in the workshop of Rembrandt, where he remained until 1653. His early paintings depicting genre scenes in dark red tones, so reminiscent of Rembrandt's paintings of the same time, in several cases, the work of Maas in various museums was attributed to Rembrandt. In 1653 Nicholas Maas returned to Dordrecht and opened his own workshop. The peak of his creativity is considered to be between 1655 and 1665, when he mainly depicted genre scenes taking place in crowded rooms with Windows. This aspect of his work influenced artists of the Delft school, particularly Jan Vermeer and Pieter de Hooha for which the interiors of the side light from the Windows became the main motive of creativity. The favorite plot of Maas works of this period were reading, praying or sleeping old woman. Between 1665 and 1667 the year the Maas visited and perhaps even lived for some time in Antwerp.

Then he returned to Dordrecht, and in 1673 he moved to Amsterdam, where he lived until his death. In 1660-ies he moved away from the style of Rembrandt and began to paint portraits in bright colours, closer to the style of van Dyck, which had great success. In the works of Maas often monograms, as, for example, cat stealing food women. while she prays before dinner.