Engraving of a group portrait with 11 Jerusalem Pilgrims from Amsterdam

General information
Original location Amsterdam, Chapel of St. Olof (original painting). Since the panel depicted probably members of the Amsterdam Confraternity of Jerusalem Pilgrims, it is probable that it was originally located in its chapel inside St. Olof's Chapel
Current location Depicted in Le Long, original lost
Provenance The print is a copy of a sixteenth-century panel from Le Long. He mentions to have seen it still in existence, though in a state of decay, in 1729 in the Church of the Hospital (Gasthuiskerk), to where it had been moved after the Reformation.
Artist Anonymous
Date 1729 (engraving)
1564 (original)
Material Engraving on paper
Dimensions 19 x 31 cm
Visual elements
Short description Eleven pilgrims with palms in their hands (five on the left side, six on the right) are kneeling in front of an altar with a Jerusalem cross on it, depicted in the center of the picture. Behind it can be seen the Ascension of Christ through a window. The scene is surrounded by an architectural classical frame, with in the upper frieze the coats of arms, and in the lower frieze a text. Under the lower frieze are four scenes with the Resurrection, Three women at the empty grave, the Apparition of Christ to Mary Magdalene, and the Apparition of Christ to the Apostles,, divided by coats of arms and palm crosses.
Coat of arms On the altar and thrice under the lower frieze: coats of arms with Jerusalem cross
Attributes Under the lower frieze: six palms crossed to make three St Andrew's crosses, the weapon of Amsterdam
Text In the lower frieze: Schilderye van Elf Amsterdamsche Jerusalems Vaarders.
In this place on the original panel, probably a text was included referring to the individual pilgrims (see their respective entries)
Number of pilgrims 11
Depicted pilgrims (from left to right)
Personal information
Name Pieter Hendriksz. Opmeer
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Pieter Heinricxzoon Opmeer, was te Jerusalem, Anno 1525
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1525
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Pieter Hendriksz. Opmeer traveled together with his father Hendrik Pietersz., his mother, two sisters, and the maid, as mentioned by Arent Willemsz. of Delft in his 1525 travel report. Pieter was probably still a child at the time.
Personal information
Name Koen Barendsz.
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Coen Barentsz. Anno 1550
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1550
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Cornelis Cornelisz. Velt
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Cornelis Corneliszoon Velt, Anno 1551
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1551
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Mentioned as Cornelis Fert in 1551 as fellow traveller in the travel report of Sigmund Thunger from Würzburg, together with Hendrik Dirksz., who is not depicted here (see Lampen, p. 287)
Personal information
Name Jan Woutersz. Gaal
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Jan Woutersz. Gael, Anno 1553
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1553
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Matthijs van Banken
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Matthys van Bancken, Anno 1553
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1553
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Wouter Brugmans
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Wouter Brugmans, Anno 1557
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1557
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Floris Gerritsz.
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Floris Gerritsz. Anno 1560
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1560
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Thomas Simonsz.
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Thomas Symonsz. Anno 1561
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1561
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Pieter Gijsbertsz. Ruys
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Pieter Gysbertsz. Ruysch. Anno 1562
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1562
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Reyer Willemsz.
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Reyer Willemsz. Anno 1562
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1562
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Personal information
Name Evert Jansz. Bakker
Coat of arms Above his head, on the upper frieze (unidentifiable)
Text Lower frieze: Evert Jansz. Backer Anno 1563
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1563
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm
Additional information
General remarks In the lower frieze Le Long displayed the text 'Schilderye van Elf Amsterdamsche Jerusalems Vaarders' in his drawing. This was probably the place in the original painting where the texts relating to the individual pilgrims Le Long mentioned were located.
Literature
  • Bueren, Truus van, Leven na de dood: gedenken in de late Middeleeuwen (Turnhout 1999), pp. 167-168
  • Kistenmaker, Renée, and Michiel Jonker, De Smaak van de Elite. Amsterdam in de Eeuw van de Beeldenstorm (Amsterdam 1986), pp. 21-23
  • Lampen, Willibrord, 'Hollandsche Jerusalemvaarders in vroegere eeuwen', Bijdragen voor de geschiedenis van het Bisdom van Haarlem 45 (1928), pp. 265-293
  • Le Long, I., Historische Beschryvinge van de Reformatie der Stadt Amsterdam (Amsterdam 1729), pp. 490-491
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