Four Jerusalem Pilgrims kneeling at the Crypt of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

General information
Original location Amsterdam, Chapel of St. Olof. Two of the depicted persons came from Amsterdam, so they were probably members of the Amsterdam Confraternity of Jerusalem pilgrims, which had a chapel in St. Olof's Chapel
Current location Utrecht, Museum Catharijneconvent
Provenance Known to have been in the possession of the descendants of Jan Benning (depicted on the painting) in the seventeenth century
Artist Anonymous (Amsterdam painter)
Date ca.1520 (shortly after the pilgrimage was made)
Material Oil on panel
Dimensions 79 x 211,5 cm
Visual elements
Short description In the center of the panel the crypt under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is displayed, with a star in a niche on the left side of the crypt indicating the place of Christ's birth. Two pillars separate the crypt from four kneeling persons, two on each side, including one monk on the viewer's left.
Coat of arms On the pillars on both sides of the crypt: Semicircular shield - in silver a red Jerusalem Cross
Attributes
Text In the painting: Dit is die figuer vant Bethlehem van binnen, daer God in gheboren is.
On the frame: Int jaer ons Heeren XVc ende XIX waren tesamen te Jerusalem broeder Wouter van Hogesteijn, Jan Benninck, Jacop Heijn ende Meijnnert Willems zoon. God heb lof.
Number of pilgrims 4
Depicted pilgrims (from left to right)
Personal information
Name Jan Benning
Social status / profession Alderman of Amsterdam, 1531
Coat of arms Hanging above the portrait: Semicircular shield - in gold a black cross moline, in the heart a gold rose
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1519
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Death
Year of death 1537
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Jan Benning was a cousin of Jacob Hein, see Dudok van Heel
Personal information
Name Wouter van Hogesteyn
Social status / profession Prior of the Dominican Monastery in Zierikzee in 1525-1528
Coat of arms Hanging above the portrait: Semicircular shield - per pale I: in silver a red tower on a black (?) base; II: in gold a black fess between three red lozenges (2-1)
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1519
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Meindert Willemsz.
Coat of arms Hanging above the portrait: Semicircular shield - per fess A: per pale 1: in green (?) a black cramp-iron; 2: in silver a red capital R; B: in red (?) a black clover leaf, between two addorsed silver crescents, in middle point a gold wreath
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1519
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Jacob Hein Fransenz.
Social status / profession Student in Leuven 1522
Coat of arms Hanging above the portrait: Semicircular shield - in green a black mark
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1519
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Jacob Hein was a cousin of Jan Benning, see Dudok van Heel
Additional information
General remarks The four pilgrims were traveling companions.
Literature
  • Berg, Astrid van den, Stageverslag Technisch onderzoek van memorietafels Museum Catharijneconvent (Utrecht 1995, unpublished)
  • Bueren, Truus van, Leven na de dood: gedenken in de late Middeleeuwen (Turnhout 1999), pp. 166-167
  • Dijkstra, J., P.P.W.M. Dirkse, and A.E.A.M. Smits, De schilderijen van Museum Catharijneconvent (Utrecht 2002), pp. 136-137
  • Dudok van Heel, S.A.C., Van Amsterdamse burgers tot Europese aristocraten: hun geschiedenis en hun portretten: de Heijnen-maagschap, 1400-1800, 2 vols. (Amstelveen 2008), pp. 353-355
  • Jonge, C.H. de, and J.J.M. Timmers, Catalogus schilderijen Aartsbisschoppelijk Museum Utrecht (Utrecht 1948), pp. 115-116
  • Wolfs O.P., S.P., Middeleeuwse dominicanenkloosters in Nederland. Bijdrage tot een monasticon (Assen 1984), pp. 299-301
MeMO ID 641
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