Hessel de Boer was a painter from The Hague who studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He is known for his figure paintings, portraits, vegetable and fruit still lifes as well as cityscapes and depictions of the sky around The Hague. Many artists and friends posed for his psychologically sensitive portraits. De Boer was a staunch supporter of figurative art, even when it was less in demand. He was a member of the Pulchri Studio and the Hague Art Ring and won the Willink van Collen Prize.