Martin Mijtens vanhempi / den äldre / the Elder

This Swedish portraitist in powdered wigs and velvet coats was the go-to painter for Helsinki’s elite in the 1700s. He made lace and lace-collars look like they were woven from moonlight, and he painted every silver buckle and ribbon so crisply you’d swear you could hear the rustle of silk. Want to see his style in person? Hunt for his portrait of Kreivitär Ingeborg Posse at the Ateneum in Helsinki—she’s caught mid-conversation, glove half-lifted, like she’s about to tap you on the shoulder.