Single portrait of Jan Hendriksz. Spijker, a.k.a. De Veer

General information
Original location Utrecht, Jerusalem Chapel? (see remarks)
Current location Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, inv. no. 557
Artist Antonie Mor (style)
Date After 1564 (date is mentioned on the painting)
Material Panel
Dimensions 95 x 78 cm
Visual elements
Short description Portrait of a bearded man, half-length, turned to the right, facing the viewer. He holds a palm in his right hand.
Depicted pilgrim
Personal information
Name Jan Hendriksz. Spijker, a.k.a. De Veer
Social status / profession Member of the confraternity of the Hospital of St James
Coat of arms On the text field: Early renaissance shield - on a fess between three lozenges, 2-1, a rose (een dwarsbalk beladen met een roos, vergezeld van drie ruiten, 2-1)
Text In text field on the bottom of the painting: Ian Henrick S do Veer ben ick, wijlt wel verstaen // ick was te Jerusalem terselver tijt // alsmen schreef M Vc.lxiiii daer aen // telde nae Goods geboort gebenedijt
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1564
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Palm; Necklace with golden Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1573/74
Location of grave Utrecht, Parish church of St Gertrud (Geertekerk)
Additional information
General remarks IRR research has shown that the surname 'Spijker' has been overpainted and replaced by 'De Veer'. The latter name (meaning the feather) is probably an allusion to the Jerusalem pilgrimage, given the symbol of the palm branch or 'feather of Jericho'.
The composition of the panel resembles very closely the portraits of the Utrecht confraternity of Jerusalem pilgrims. Particularly the text field under the portrait with the coat of arms on top is a striking similarity. This points to the possibility that this portrait once also hung in the chapel of the confraternity.
Literature
  • Hoogewerff, G.J., De Noord-Nederlandsche schilderkunst, 5 vols. (Den Haag 1936-1947) vol. 4, p. 637
  • 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, 233, 238
  • Vey, Horst, and Annamaria Kesting, Katalog der niederländischen Gemälde von 1550 bis 1800 im Wallraf-Richartz-Museum und im öffentlichen Besitz der Stadt Köln (Cologne 1967), p. 74
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