Michael Verelst

Michael Verelst was the fourth surviving child of Herman Verelst and Cecilia Fend, originally from Venice. Herman was an established portrait painter in Amsterdam but, with the collapse of the art market in the Low Countries in the late 1660s onwards, moved his family through Europe, starting in Venice and, in 1683, escaping the siege of Vienna to flee to London. Michael was born in Venice. Michael presumably was Herman's pupil.
A licence was issued for the marriage of Michael Verelst and Sarah Laverne on 5 April 1697 but there is no evidence that marriage was conducted. Michael Verelst married Mary Bennett of Queniborough, Leicestershire in 1699 or early 1700. They lived in Nottingham having seven children of whom only one lived to adulthood.
Michael Verelst's wife, Mary, probably died in 1740. He was buried at King's [Lynn Minster|St Margaret's], King’s Lynn on 30 June 1752.

Artistic career

The only direct evidence of Michael Verelst as an artist comes from records of property transactions which have survived with the second describing him as a “limner”. No surviving works have been identified.