Pieter Thijs (1624 – 1677): A Flemish Baroque Master Pieter Thijs, Peter Thijs or Pieter Thys (1624 in Antwerp – 1677 in Antwerp) stands as a pivotal figure within the Flemish Baroque artistic landscape. Born into a modest family, his early life foreshadowed a remarkable trajectory fueled by exceptional tutors—Artus Deurwerdeers and Frans Francken the Younger—who instilled him with foundational skills in cabinet painting and the stylistic nuances championed by Anthony van Dyck’s workshop. His formative years culminated in mastery of the Antwerp Guild of St Luke in 1644–45, marking a crucial…