Background
Van Leemput was born in Antwerp.
Van Leemput was born in Antwerp.
He is believed to have moved to London around 1632. He produced copies of van Dyck’s work and later also of other painters such as Peter Lely. Van Leemput is said to have claimed that he could copy Lely better than Lely could himself.
He may have been an assistant of Lely at some point.
Van Leemput gained a prominent position in the London art world. He became an art dealer and a major collector of paintings and drawings.
After the execution of Charles I of England in 1649, his art collection was broken up and sold off in order to repay the debtors of the former king. Van Leemput was active as a buyer of artworks sold off from the royal collection.
He acquired 35 paintings and sculptures from the sale of the collection over a period of six months.
He purchased works from Titian, Giorgione, Correggio and Andrea del Sarto. He was able to acquire the famous equestrian portrait by van Dyck of Charles I with M. de Street Antoine. He tried to sell the painting in Antwerp but was unsuccessful because his asking price of 1,500 guineas was too high
lieutenant is possible that he was in fact trying to sell a copy of the portrait he had made himself.
After the Restoration in 1660, the painting was still with him. lieutenant was recovered from him for Charles II through legal proceedings.
Remigius van Leemput died in London.