| Commentary | Tousain(t) (de) Blanche was born in Franchimont in 1561, the son of Leonard de Blanche, Kamerheer van de Keurvorst van de Palts, and of Jeanne de Gomree (Calkoen, Jaarboek Amstelodamum 11(1913), pp. 141-2). He was first married to Marie Damens (see R 44568 of Montias2). On 23 February 1621, Toussain de Blanche, from Maurimont, widower of Marie Damens, living on the Rockin, was betrothed to Barbara Cobbaut, from Ceulen, widow of Balthasar van der Veecke, living in the Nieuwe Hooghstraet (DTB 425/230). Barbara Cobbaut was the daughter of Arnout Cobbaut II of R 21250. After Barbara's death, he remarried with Clara van Dale. On 23 December 1625, Toussain Blanche, widower of Barbara Cobbaut, was betrothed to Clara van Dale, widow of Abraham Kipp (DTB 430/366) (see below for his subsequent marriage). This Clara van Dale(n) cannot be identical with the woman of the same name who married Andries de Grauw I of R 36297 in 1600. In 1613, Toussain de Blanche was inscribed for a sum of 2,000 f. in the Camer van Assurantie (Van Dillen, Het oudste aandeelhoudersregister, p. 97). On 19 May 1636, he bought a house on the West side of the Heerengracht, called de Klock (or Klocker) from Hans Leenartsz., hatmaker, and Jasper Jansz. (Ypelaer) (cited in the TEXT of R 181) (Calkoen, ibid.) Toussain Blanche, who is not known to have bought art at auction, bought porcelain at the sale organized by Anthonij Nijs on 16 October 1626 (WK 5073/972). In 1631, he was living on the West side of the Heeregracht (as he was at the time of his death) when he and his children paid a tax of 240 f. (Kohier, fol. 86v, p. 21). On 18 August 1634, Pieter Pietersz. (signs Pietersen), tobacco merchant, 37, Giert Scheydeman, likewise tobacco merchant, 32, and Hans Hutzeson, broker, 43, declared at the request of Paulus du Prix, merchant, that, in the month of December 1632, certain Toussain Blanche had arrested (sequestered?) all the money that the witnesses owed to the requirant (Du Prix) (NA 1040, fol. 36, Not. J. van de Ven). His daughter Anne (cited in the INTRO, to whom the house on the Heerengracht was transferred on 19 May 1636, was baptized in Amsterdam on 23 September 1623. She married Guilliam Domis, baptized in Antwerp on 23 September 1616. of INVNO 682) (see R 44570 of Montias2). On 9 April 1636, Tousain Blanche, widower of Clara van Dale, was betrothed to Hester Douwanne, widow of Isaac Pijman (DTB 444/225). A portrait of his third wife De Graeuw in the present inventory (R 44570 of Montias2) has no ready explanation, unless she was actually his fourth wife, after the death of Hester Douanne (whom he is known to have survived). He was buried in the W.K. on 23 February 1643 (Calkoen, ibid.) |
