Cornelisz, LUCAS

Cornelisz, LUCAS, a Dutch subject and portrait-painter, was born at Leyden in 1495, the son of Cornelis Engelbrechtsen, the master of Lucas van Leyden. He was instructed in art by his father, but found little patronage in his own country, and was obliged, for the support of his large family, to act as a cook, whence his usual sobriquet of Kok ('the cook'). He visited England, probably in 1527, and was appointed by Henry VIII. royal painter. There is ground for believing that, after remaining some five years in England, Cornelisz passed to Italy, and between 1535-47 was employed by the court of Ferrara. He is stated to have died in 1552. Several of his works are in England.