Brief Biography-Govert Teunisz Flinck, portraitist, genre, and historical painter, was born in Cleves in 1615. His father, a silk merchant, tried to keep Govert in his profession. Nevertheless, he studied art under Lambert Jacobs alongside Adriaensz Backer in Leeuwarden before going to Amsterdam, where he entered the atelier of Rembrandt in 1633, and many of his works were comparable if not equal to Rembrandt's.
He became a successful artist by 1636, painting nobility and historical subjects. Flinck had no financial difficulties and was a burgher of Amsterdam when his first wife, Ingertje, died. He married for a second time to heiress Sofia van der Houven in 1652.
After the death of Rembrandt, he leaned more toward the Italian style taken up by Flemish artists and became impressed by the Italian masters. He received many prestigious commissions in Amsterdam, most notably for the chambers of the Town Hall. His last work was a classical composition of the artillery company at Amsterdam; however, before completion, he sadly died.