She was born in
Amsterdam as the daughter of
Jan van Huysum and probably assisted him with his work. In the 20 page biography of her father written by
Jan van Gool, the only woman mentioned is
Margaretha Haverman who Van Gool claimed had been allowed to become his only pupil "under false pretenses". This phrase was meant to indicate that Van Huysum was willing to let female relatives of family and friends assist him (presumably because they could not sign their own names) but avoided the help of male pupils for fear of revealing his technique and creating competition. It is unclear therefore whether he allowed his daughter or his sister Maria to assist him. According to the RKD Francina's works have been formerly attributed to her father Jan and later to her uncle
Michiel and were only in 2006 re-attributed to her by
Sam Segal. The works definitely attributed to her are a pair of pendant paintings dated 1729 and now in the collection of the
Fitzwilliam Museum. A copy of these pendant paintings with hopelessly overpainted signatures, are now considered autograph and are in the
Dulwich Picture Gallery. It is this undated pair of period copies which were documented by
John Smith in 1835 as by Jan van Huysum and whose attribution was repeated in 1928 by
Cornelis Hofstede de Groot. File:Bloemstilleven in een porseleinen vaas op een marmeren blad, 1729 gedateerd Cambridge (England).jpg|
Flowers, Fitzwilliam Museum File:Francina Margaretha van Huysum - A Dish of Fruit CAM CCF PD 31 1975.jpg|
Fruit, Fitzwilliam Museum File:Van Huysum, Michiel - A Delft Vase with Flowers - Google Art Project.jpg|
Flowers, Dulwich Picture Gallery File:Van Huysum, Michiel - A Delft Bowl with Fruit - Google Art Project.jpg|
Fruit, Dulwich Picture Gallery Sam Segal discovered a note about a pair of pendants purchased by
Cornelis Ploos van Amstel in 1661 by
F.M. van Huyzum which were as good as
J. van Huyzum in an auction sale. The copyist Oswald Wijnen later made watercolour copies of these pendants that are now in the
Teylers Museum: File:Oswald Wijnen after Francina Margaretha van Huysum - Flower still life in a porcelain vase on a marble top.jpg|
Flowers, Teylers Museum File:Oswald Wijnen naar Francina Margaretha van Huysum Vruchtenstilleven in een porseleinen kom op een marmeren blad.jpg|
Fruit, Teylers Museum == References ==