Pieter de Ring

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Map by Blaeu in 1652
Map by Blaeu in 1652

Pieter de Ring (1615 –  Leiden, 22 September 1660) was probably born in Ypres in Flanders, but the Ypres Archives were destroyed in August 1914. From Ypres the family (?) moved to Leiden, where he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke. Pieter de Ring may have started as an engraver; but he became famous for his opulent, flashy still lifes or banquet pieces with fruit, a lobster, a goblet, shrimps, oysters, a rug and Chinese porcelain. His signature is often a painted ring or with the latinised form of his name, P.Ab.Annulo.

There is hardly no information in the Leiden Archive on him. Pieter de Ring did not marry in in that town, nor did it look he had any children. He neither bought a house or wrote a will. He could have lived in any other city. What is unquestionable that he was buried in 1660 in de Pieterskerk between the 19th and 25th of September and he was taken to church from a house in the Nonnensteeg. If he had his studio there he probably had a view on the Leiden Academy building. If he lived on the eastside of the alley he had a beautiful view on the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden, the work of Clusius.

May be Pieter had a brother called Jan de Ringh, who became a citizin of Leiden in 1651. Jan originally came from Ypres, his profession was textile worker, just like his sons Daniel, Benjamin, and Pieter and many of the other Flamish immigrants in Leiden. The members of the Ringh family were specialized workers in serge, camlet or cloth.

The painting by Pieter de Ring in the Museum Geelvinck-Hinlopen Huis has a beautiful cloth on the tabel. He knew very well how to make it look real. De Ring's early work reveals the influence of Willem Claesz Heda. He is also thought to have been a pupil of Jan Davidsz. de Heem.

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