Jan Davidsz. de Heem was born in Utrecht in the Netherlands in 1606.
His early style is reminiscent of Balthasar van der Ast, who may have been his teacher. In 1625, de Heem moved to Leiden, moving again in the 1630s to Antwerp.
He spent lengthy periods in Utrecht, and was a member of the Utrecht guild between 1669 and 1672.
De Heem was the most celebrated still life painter of his day. He is best known for his sumptuous still lifes of flowers and fruit, arranged around elaborate goblets and platters. He also painted vanitas.
Both his son Cornelis and grandson David also painted, but Jan Davidsz. was the most successful of the de Heem family.
