VII. Lucas de Clercq (c1603-1652) x 1. Feyna van Steenkiste; x 2. Adriaentgen Keysers.
Son of Jacques de Cleercq and Passchijntgen Grijspeert
Lucas de Clercq, born Haarlem ca. 1603, died 26 Aug. 1652, married 1. (marr. contr. Haarlem 8 Jan. 1626) Feyna van Steenkiste, born Haarlem 1603/04, buried there (Grote Kerk) 3/10 March 1640, dr. of Pieter and Janneke Bertramsdr. of Caerle; married 2. Rotterdam 18 Sept. 1640 Adriaentgen Keyser(s), born Rotterdam, buried Haarlem 18 Jan. 1662, dr. of Leendert Cornelisz and Janneke Jansdr. Nisbeth alias van Rueven, and widow of Cornelis Jansz. Snaets; she remarried Haarlem 7 Sept. 1654 Jacob Elias.
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Lucas de Clercq and Feyna van Steenkiste, by Frans Hals, 1635
Below their signatures
Lucas de Clercq was an 'askoopman', a dealer in ashes, in association with two of his brothers-in-law, Abraham Ampe (1586-1633) and Lucas van Beeck (1602-1657). They continued the business of Lucas’ father-in-law, the very wealthy merchant Pieter van Steenkiste. Ashes were essential for making lye, used for bleaching linen, which was one of the important industries of Haarlem.
Lucas de Clercq and Lucas van Beeck also owned bleacheries themselves, outside Haarlem. Business was obviously going very well and on one of the bleacheries they built a country-seat, called Clercq-en-Beeck, with an orchard and gardens, where the families could spend the hot summers, when the crowded cities smelled terribly. The fields of another bleachery owned by the brothers-in-law Lucas and Lucas, called De Knip, can clearly be seen on one of the well-known Views of Haarlem by the painter Jacob van Ruysdael (1628/39-1682). On the fields long linen patches are stretched on the grass, bleaching and drying in the sun. De Knip was situated next to Clercq-en-Beeck.
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View of Haarlem, with the bleacheries of Lucas de Clercq en Lucas van Beeck, by Jacob van Ruisdael, ca 1670. (click to enlarge). Below a detail.
Lucas’ house in Haarlem was situated on the river Spaarne. When Feyna died in 1640, an inventory was made. Although there were some highly valuable pieces, this document shows how Mennonites at that time, even when they were rich, decorated their homes in a modest, simple way. This Mennonite soberness is also evident in the portraits of Lucas and Feyna, by the famous Haarlem painter Frans Hals, of 1635, depicted above. The couple is dressed in simple, black clothes, though of the finest possible quality.
In 1645 Lucas de Clercq was portrayed again; now with his three children, his second wife Adriaentgen Keyser, and her son of a previous marriage. On this large piece, the group is set in the landscape as it was found near Clercq-en-Beeck, with dunes and bushes.
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Lucas de Clercq with his second wife Adriaentgen Keysers and both of their children, attributed to Gerrit Claesz Bleker, shortly after 1645
A few years before he died, Lucas moved just outside Haarlem, to the ‘Stadssingel’, a water that surrounded the city. Here he had a large complex of two houses, stables, a coach-house, warehouses, a haybarn and an oven to burn ashes. Behind the complex were comfortable gardens where one could find the at that time highly fashionable -and costly!- tulips.
After his death Adriaentgen continued Lucas’ profitable business, with her third husband Jacob Elias.
Lucas’ only son was Pieter de Clercq (1631-1666)