Heins was not a relation of mine however I have an interest in him as he painted an excellent portrait of my great x6 grandfather Robert Crowe.  His style of painting shows detail of an exceptionally high quality.  The face of the portrait is very formal and has been painted so carefully that the result is more like a photograph rather than a painting.  Even under a magnifying glass it is difficult to see the brush strokes.  I have tried to find out more about Heins but there is little on the internet so I thought it might be worth while creating a page with what information I have been able to find out so far.  Heins does not appear to have had a biography written about him but he is mentioned in a few books and a summary would be as follows:

He appears to have originated in Germany but moved to the UK and settled in Norwich around 1720.  Over the next 36 years he built up a fine reputation as a portrait painter and painted many members of prominent Norfolk families.  He was commissioned in 1732 to paint a portrait of the Mayor Francis Arnam and also the previous year's Mayor Robert Marsh.  After this Heins received regular commissions to paint Mayors and other civil dignitaries.  It is believed that he died in Norwich in 1756.

There are many examples of his portraits in Museums and examples also occasionally turn up for sale at some of the major auction houses.  One notable characteristic is that they often have an oval painted onto the canvas to help frame the sitter.  The signed copies usually record his name and date as follows: Heins, Fec:17XX. (eg 1743).  Fec being a Latin abbreviation meaning 'made by'.  An earlier example in 1723 has his name signed Heine instead of Heins.  Many record his name as D Heins, the D standing for Dirck which was possibly what he was known by.

I have not been able to establish anything about his family life except that he had a son with the same name John Theodore Heins Jr (1732c to 1771).  John Jr also became a portrait painter but does not appear to have developed the skill of his father.  He is known to have painted some miniatures but he seems to have progressed on to becoming a topographical etcher.  He died in London in 1771.

Books that mention him include:
Dictionary of British 18th Century Painters by Ellis Waterhouse, 1981.
Family & Friends, A Regional Survey of British Portraiture by Andrew Moore and Charlotte Crawley, 1992.

If anyone out there on the internet would like to add more information I would be very pleased to hear from you.  Please contact me on jj@jjhc.info

Hewling Luson of Gunton, near Lowestoft Signed Heine Fec 1723 (Hewling Luson: Larger Image)
John Davy Half length, in a grey Coat and embroidered Waistcoat. Signed and dated 'J Heins, Fec/1724'. Christies 23 May 1996.	No image
Miles Branthwayt (died1751) Signed D Heins Fec:/1725 (Miles Branthwayt: Larger Image)
Julian Branthwayt (died 1765) signed D Heins Fec:/1725 (Julian Branthwayt: Larger Image)
Dorothy Branthwayt (died1769) signed lower left D Heins Fec/1726 (Dorothy Branthwayt: Large Image)
John Harvey of Beachamwell, Norfolk (1666-1742) Mayor of Norwich 1727 Son of Robert Harvey Married Ann Statham   (John Harvey: Larger Image)
Thomas Gainsborough  (1709­39)  Signed and dated 1731 76.2 x 63.5cm  oil on canvas	Gainsborough's House 46 Gainsborough Street, Sudbury, Suffolk. www.gainsborough.org
John Gainsborough (1711­72) Signed and dated 1731   74.8  x  63cm  oil on canvas	Gainsborough's House  46 Gainsborough Street, Sudbury, Suffolk. www.gainsborough.org
John Howes of Morningthorpe, Norfolk.  Signed Heins fecit 1736 (John Howes: Larger Image)
Mr Peter Harvey of Norwich, Norfolk Note on the back saying painted by Haynes. Assumed 1738.  Who was Peter Harvey?  If you know please contact me jj@jjhc.info   (Peter Harvey: Larger Image)
Mrs Peter Harvey of Norwich, Norfolk Dated on the front 1738.  Note on the back saying painted by Haynes.  Who was Mrs Peter Harvey?  If you know please contact me jj@jjhc.info   (Mrs Peter Harvey: Larger Image)
Simon Kerrich  (1697-1748) signed Heins.Fec:1740 (Simon Kerrich: Larger Image)
Lydia Harvey standing three quarter length, wearing a violet dress, 1742.  Sold Apr 20 1990.	No image
Robert Crowe  of Swaffham, Norfolk. (1710-1785) Signed on the lower corner his left side Heins, Fec: 1743    (Robert Crowe: Biography) (Robert Crowe: Larger Image)
Lucy, Lady Gage 1722-1781 daughter of William Knight Signed on the lower corner her right side Heins, Fec: 1748 (Lucy, Lady Gage: Larger Image)
Thomas Harvey  (1711-1772), Mayor of Norwich 1748, signed lower right 'Heins Fec'. Norfolk Museums Service.	Norwich Castle Museum  www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
Mrs Heyward of Mariston, half-length, in a satin dress and a black plumed hat, feigned oval signed and dated 'Heins, 1752'.  Christies 16 July 1998.	No image
Portrait of a Lady and a Gentleman Portrait of a lady, half-length, in a white dress and blue wrap, in a feigned oval and Portrait of a gentleman, half-length in a red jacket and white waistcoat and cravat, in a feigned ovali.  Each signed and dated 'Heins, 1755'. Christies 16 March 2008.	No image

Portraits by Heins can be found hanging in a number of Museums and Art Galleries including the following:
Gainsborough's House, 46 Gainsborough Street, Sudbury, Suffolk. www.gainsborough.org
Norwich Castle Museum.  www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk.  National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.uk

If you have any further information, please contact me on jj@jjhc.info

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