Andries Beeckman: A Painter of Exotic Worlds Andries Beeckman (baptized 31 August 1628, Hasselt - buried 9 August 1664, Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter of the 17th century. He is particularly celebrated for his depictions of Southeast Asia and Batavia circa 1660, marking him as one of the foremost artists engaged in documenting the burgeoning VOC (Dutch East India Company) expeditions into uncharted territories. Born in Hasselt, Belgium, Beeckman’s early life remains shrouded in obscurity, though records indicate he apprenticed under Hendrick van Balen, a prominent Flemish painter known for h…