Biography

Daughter of the painter Jan van Hemessen and Barbera le Fevere, on 23 February 1553 in Antwerp married to Kerstiaen de Moryn (organist of Antwerp cathedral).

She enjoyed the protection of Mary of Hungary, governor of the Netherlands. When she resigned from the government of the Netherlands in 1556, the couple traveled to Spain with their court; Krestiaen de Moryn as organist and Catharina as "dama de compañía" (lady-in-waiting) and teacher. When the queen died in 1558 she left a large dowry to Catharina as a token of her esteem. The couple returned to Antwerp. 

Later Catharina and her husband moved to Bois-le-Duc. The last known references to Catharina date from 1565. 

Of her work we know some portraits signed between 1548 and 1552, mainly female and of small dimensions. Among them stands out her Self-portrait before the easel in attitude of painting and carrying the main instruments of her art, signed and dated “ego caterina de/ hemessen me / pinxi 1548 // etatis suae / 20”, conserved in the Kunstmuseum Basel (inv. no. 1361).