Prayer portrait of Steven de Witt
| General information |
| Original location |
Utrecht, collection Johan de Witt |
| Current location |
Utrecht, Centraal museum, inv. nr. 10196 |
| Provenance |
Acquired in 1948 |
| Commissioner |
Probably by the portrayed person's son Johan de Witt, in order to celebrate his father's victory over the Geuzen in Vianen in 1567 |
| Artist |
Joachim Wttewael |
| Date |
1604-1610 |
| Material |
Oil on parchment on panel |
| Dimensions |
20,2 x 15,4 cm |
| Visual elements |
| Short description |
Prayer portrait of a man in armour, full-lenght, kneeling, turned slightly to the right. On the right side behind him stands a classicist architectural structure, which displays the coat of arms, text and pilgrim insignia of the sitter. |
| Depicted pilgrim |
| Personal information |
| Name |
Steven de Witt |
| Social status / profession |
Liegeman for the city of Utrecht (1539); later knighted by Philip II, king of Spain; Sheriff (schout) of Vianen (after 1567) |
| Coat of arms |
On monument in background: early renaissance shield - a contourny rampant unicorn (een omgewende klimmende eenhoorn); crest: an issuant
unicorn (helmteken: een uitkomende eenhoorn) |
| Text |
Around coat of arms: Stephanus de Wit, Ultraiectinus eques auratus, aetatis 42
Under signs of pilgrimage on monument in background: Bellavit miles // debellavit dux // Caesari Carolo V // regi Philippo |
| Other known portraits |
Third from the left in Jan van Scorel, Five members of the Utrecht Confraternity of Jerusalem pilgrims (Utrecht, Centraal museum)
Joachim Wtewael, Portrait of Steven de Wit, ca. 1604-1610 (Milan, Civico Museo d'Arte Antiqua, inv. no. 1282) |
| Pilgrimages |
| Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem |
1541 (based on text on portrait series of the Utrecht confraternity of Jerusalem pilgrims) |
| Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage |
On monument in background: Jerusalem cross above two crossed palm branches |
| Other pilgrimages |
Loreto, Rome, Naples (as shown on his gravestone; this is not entirely certain, however, because other family members are mentioned on the slab as well, and the signs of pilgrimage do not refer clearly to any specific person. Steven de Witt may very well have visited sites in Italy, though, while on his way to Jerusalem, since many pilgrims traveled through Italy) |
| Attributes other pilgrimages |
On monument in background: half wheel and sword of St Catherine |
| Death |
| Year of death |
1571 |
| Location of grave |
Utrecht, Church of St Gertrud (Geertekerk) |
| Image of grave |
Depicted by Buchelius, Monumenta, f. 114v
|
|
| Additional information |
| Literature |
- Helmus, L.M., Schilderkunst tot 1850, De verzamelingen van het Centraal Museum Utrecht 5, 2 vols. (Utrecht 1999), pp. 1556-1557
- Sterk, Jos, 'Johannes de Witt Stevenszoon,' Jaarboek Oud-Utrecht (1974), 108ff.
|
| Internet links |
Catalogue description of the Centraal Museum |
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