Frans van Mieris the Elder is one of the most renowned representatives of the Dutch fijnschilders (fine painters). In their works, these seventeenth-century painters attempted to attain a perfect visual reproduction of materials - so perfect, in fact, that detecting an individual brushstroke in their paintings is almost, if not entirely, impossible. Not until several decades had passed would museum visitors and art historians once again appreciate the qualities of Van Mieris and the other fine painters. This beautifully designed and easy-to-read book includes all of Van Mieris' thirty-five paintings and ten of his drawings reproduced in full colour and accompanied by brief explanatory texts. Also included are essays about the artist's life, the development of his oeuvre, and appreciation of it down through the centuries.