Balthasar de Monconys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Balthasar de Monconys (1611 - 1665) was a French diplomat, physician and a magistrate.
Moncony, brought up in Lyon by the Jesuits and a good Catholic, had an interest in the Jesuit missions in infidel territory. He travelled to Portugal, England, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Moncony paid twice a visit to Delft and so could satisfy his curiosity about another hidden church and meet an artist with a growing reputation.[1] He was the only person, besides Pieter Teding van Berckhout, who met with Vermeer on August 11, 1663, and wrote down an eyewitness account of Vermeer's paintings, during Vermeer's liftime.[2] Vermeer had no paintings to show and Moncony and his companions were steered to the baker Hendrick van Buyten.

