Portret van een man, mogelijk Pieter Gerritsz Bicker (1497-1567)

About this artwork

frame: height 101 cm x width 83.5 cm x thickness 5.5 cm

Art Historical Context

This striking portrait, painted in 1529 by the Dutch artist Maarten van Heemskerck, captures a man of evident status, possibly Pieter Gerritsz Bicker, a prominent Amsterdam merchant and civic leader. Created during the Northern Renaissance, the work reflects the growing interest in individualized likenesses among the rising merchant class in the Low Countries. Heemskerck, then based in Haarlem, brought a measured realism to the panel, emphasizing the sitter’s steady gaze and richly textured garments to convey both personality and social standing. Executed in oil on panel—a medium prized for i...