Biography

De Vree was born in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

. According to Houbraken, he painted landscapes, flowers, thistles, and herbs. Houbraken had a hard time finding information about his character, though there were many who were willing to discuss his works. This was because he was not a very social man, and after forming a friendship with Jan Luyken

Jan Luyken

Johannes or Jan Luyken was a Dutch poet, illustrator and engraver.-Biography:...

, he became, like Luyken, a follower of Behmenism

Behmenism

Behmenism, also Behemenism and similar, is the English-language designation for a 17th Century European Christian movement based on the teachings of German mystic and theosopher Jakob Böhme . The term was not usually applied by followers of Böhme's theosophy to themselves, but rather was used by...

, based on the writing of the German mystic Jakob Böhme

Jakob Böhme

Jakob Böhme was a German Christian mystic and theologian. He is considered an original thinker within the Lutheran tradition...

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He was a pupil of Jan Wijnants

Jan Wijnants

Jan Jansz Wijnants was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:He was born in Haarlem, the son of a Catholic art dealer also named Jan Wijnants...

 and he is known for his landscapes. In 1696 he moved to Alkmaar and in 1697 he became a member of the Alkmaar Guild of Saint Luke

Guild of Saint Luke

The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was identified by John of Damascus as having painted the...

. He died in Alkmaar

Alkmaar

Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...

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He was one of the painters who worked on the album of garden paintings for Agnes Block

Agnes Block

Agnes, or Agneta Block was a Dutch Mennonite art collector and horticulturalist. She is most remembered as the compiler of an album of flower and insect paintings.-Life:...

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