Lairesse, Gerard de

Lairesse, Gerard de (gā`rärt də lārĕs`), 1641–1711, Flemish painter of allegorical and religious subjects, b. Liège. Most of his life was spent in Holland, where he achieved great success in decorating the homes and palaces of Amsterdam with allegorical themes in a classical style. His books on the principles of drawing and painting, dictated after he became blind, were illustrated with his own etchings. They were translated into English, French, and German. Among his best-known paintings are Revolution and Mars, Venus, and Cupid (Rijks Mus.) and Cleopatra Landing at Tarsus (Louvre).