William Verelst

James Oglethorpe presenting Tomochichi and other Yamacraw Indians to the Georgia Trustees, 1734

William Verelst (1704–1752) was an 18th-century English painter.

Biography

Verelst was baptized at St Martin-in-the-Fields. It is more likely he was the son of John Verelst and not the son of Cornelius Verelst. He was certainly the grandson of Herman Verelst and a cousin of Maria Verelst. He is known for portraits, still lifes, and paintings of birds. One of his best known paintings is Audience Given by the Trustees of Georgia to a Delegation of Creek Indians, dated 1734 or 1735 and depicting influential Muscogee leaders Tomochichi and Senauki in conference with English officials.

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online says "William Verelst was included in the Dictionary of National Biography in the article on Simon Verelst under the name Willem Verelst and was erroneously described as the son of Cornelius Verelst", and he was in fact "the fifth of eight children of the painter John Verelst (c.1675–1734)".

Family tree

Pieter Hermansz Verelst 1618–1678

Herman Verelst 1641–1702

Simon Pietersz Verelst 1644–1721?

John Verelst 1648–1734

Cornelis Verelst 1667?–1734

Maria Verelst 1680–1744

William Verelst 1704–1752

External links

• William Verelst on Artnet