Cooper was born in
London, the elder brother of the painter
Samuel Cooper. He learned painting from
Peter Oliver (painter) and was active in London from 1633 to 1642, whereupon he traveled to
The Hague. He is registered there as a member of The Hague
Guild of Saint Luke from 16441646. According to Houbraken he was considered the best portrait miniaturist in watercolors of his time. His works are of great rarity, and the chief are a series representing
Frederick V, Elector Palatine and
Elizabeth of Bohemia as well as their children. Including
Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine,
Elisabeth of Bohemia, Princess Palatine,
Prince Rupert of the Rhine,
Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern and
Sophia of the Palatinate. By the late nineteenth century these portraits were in the possession of
Wilhelm II of Germany. At the same time some very remarkable portraits were owned by
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, and others were in the possession of
Gustav V of Sweden and various
Swedish galleries. He is probably the same painter as
Ioannes Coepers of England
well-known at the English court in
Cornelis de Bie's book of painters called
Het Gulden Cabinet. ==References==