Five members of the Utrecht Confraternity of Jerusalem Pilgrims

General information
Original location Utrecht, Jerusalem Chapel (see Van Tongerloo)
Current location Utrecht, Centraal Museum, inv. no. 2376
Provenance Jerusalem Confraternity, Utrecht (1525/1527-after 1581); municipality of Utrecht (Hopluyden chamber in the city hall); amortized by the municipality (1656); on loan to Genootschap Kunstliefde, Utrecht (1872-1911); Centraal Museum, Utrecht
Commissioner Members of the Confraternity of Jerusalem Pilgrims
Artist Jan van Scorel (stylistic features)
Date 1541-1544 (could have been made around the same time as Two members of the confraternity, given the same height, and the occasion of the consecration of the new chapel)
Material Oil on panel
Dimensions 78,5 x 164,1 cm
Visual elements
Short description Row of five Jerusalem pilgrims, facing left, displayed from head to chest. A cleric heads the row. Under each portrait a text about the pilgrim.
Number of pilgrims 5
Depicted pilgrims (from left to right)
Personal information
Name Jan van Dam
Social status / profession Chantry priest in the Cathedral of St Martin (Domkerk)
Coat of arms No coat of arms
Text Under portrait: Heer Ian van Dam vicarious then domme // Hierusalem sach ic na mijn begeren // dusent vijfhondert eenenveertich alomme // screefmen na die geboort ons Heeren
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1541
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm, Golden embroidered Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1568
Location of grave Utrecht, Cathedral of St Martin (Domkerk)
Personal information
Name Gijsbert Robbertsz.
Social status / profession Sheriff (schout) of Wijk bij Duurstede (1539, 1542, 1546)
Coat of arms No coat of arms
Text Under portrait: Gijsbert Robbertsz van Wijck te Duerstede // was te Ierusalem theilich graf visiteren // vijfthienhondert screefmen senenveertich mede // God wil hem namaels in vreden logeren
Other known portraits Muller mentions a copy of this portrait (private collection). On this portrait his exact date of death is mentioned, as well as a wheel of St Catherine depicted.
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1541
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm, Necklace with golden Jerusalem cross
Other pilgrimages Sinai, monastery of St Catherine (from other portrait)
Death
Date of death 28 August 1557 (other portrait)
Location of grave Wijk bij Duurstede
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks The year 1547 mentioned in the text seems to be a restauration error (Muller)
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 No coat of arms
Text Under the portrait: Steuen die Wit was te Hierusalem binnen // alsmen dusent vijfhondert eenenveertich telde // na Goods geboort, om duecht te winnen // twair goet dat hem ijgelick tot beteren stelde
Other known portraits Joachim Wtewael, Prayer portrait of Steven de Wit, ca.1604-1610 (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
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm, Necklace with golden Jerusalem cross
Other pilgrimages Rome, Loreto, Naples (based on his grave slab; this is not entirely certain, however, because other family members are mentioned on the slab as well, and it is not entirely clear to whom the symbols refer. Steven may have very well traveled via Italy while traveling to Jerusalem, however, since many pilgrims traveled that way)
Death
Year of death 1571/72
Location of grave Utrecht, Church of St Gertrud (Geertekerk)
Image of grave Depicted by Buchelius, Monumenta, f. 114v
Personal information
Name Cornelis van Amstel van Mijnden
Coat of arms No coat of arms
Text Under the portrait: Van Aemstel van Mijnden heer tot Ruweel // bin ic Cornelis ionc van iaren // te Ierusalem was ic God hebs deel // int iair eenenveertich bi wairheits verclaren
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1541
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm, Necklace with golden Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1564
Location of grave Utrecht, Abbey of St Paul (Paulusabdij)
Personal information
Name Jan Damen
Coat of arms No coat of arms
Text Under portrait: Ian Damen was oock ten heiligen lande // int iaer eenenveertich om dair vermonden // God wil ons bewaren voir scade voir scande // ende namaels vergeuen ons al onse sonden
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1541
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm, Necklace with golden Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1569/70
Location of grave Utrecht, Parish church of Our Lady (Buurkerk)
Additional information
Literature
  • Helmus, L.M., Faries, M., Tamis, D., Catalogue of Paintings, 1363-1600. Centraal Museum Utrecht (Utrecht 2011), pp. 244-250
  • Helmus, L.M., Schilderkunst tot 1850, De verzamelingen van het Centraal Museum Utrecht 5, 2 vols. (Utrecht 1999), pp. 1388-1391
  • Muller, S., De schilderijen van Jan van Scorel in het museum Kunstliefde te Utrecht (Utrecht 1880)
  • Tongerloo, Louise van, 'Grablegung und Totengedenken bei Pilgerbruderschaften in Utrecht, mit einer Neuinterpretation von Scorels und Mors Bildnisreihen von Jerusalemfahrern,' in: Truus van Bueren en Andrea van Leerdam (eds.), Care for the here and the hereafter: memoria, art and ritual in the Middle Ages (Turnhout 2005), pp. 221-247
Catalogue description of the Centraal Musem
MeMO ID 672
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