Willem van Herp the Elder was a Flemish Baroque painter best known for his religious depictions and genre paintings of taverns and kitchens. His works feature expressive human subjects, and are often copies or renditions of Peter Paul Reubens’ paintings—the influential Rubens was thought to have been van Herp’s teacher. Many of his works were executed on copper plates, lending the finished paintings a distinctive glossy finish while having the advantage of being more durable than canvas or wood. This made van Herp’s work ideal for sending and selling abroad, which the artist often did in Spain. Born in 1614 in Antwerp, Belgium, he spent his entire life in his home city and died in 1677.