Barbara van Beck

Barbara van Beck (16 February 1629 – 1668?) was a German woman known for having her face and much of her body covered with hair.

Early life Barbara Ursler was born in Augsburg, Germany, in 1629. Her parents were Anne and Balthazar Ursler. The Urslers exhibited her at shows, but also educated their daughter.

Public appearances Barbara van Beck became internationally renowned and travelled Europe, appearing in shows. In 1655, van Beck travelled to London for the first time. In 1657, John Evelyn recorded seeing her at a show with other notable performers of the period. He wrote that she "played well on the harpsichord." Evelyn's friend Samuel Pepys described having seen a woman with a similar condition in subsequent diaries, and there is debate over whether this is the same individual. and other French cities.

Condition Barbara van Beck is believed to have had the condition hypertrichosis, also called Ambras syndrome.

Depictions

Engravings of van Beck were made by several engravers. H. Winze presented her standing, full-length in 1638. Isaac Brunnin depicted her in 1653 and Richard Gaywood showed her with her left hand on an organ with information about her birth and personal life. Engraver William Richardson created an engraving of her playing a harpsichord. Historian Angela McShane observed that "this is a beautifully executed high-status painting", and highlights that depictions of van Beck differ from later Victorian images of "freaks".