Portret van Pieter Dircksz. Hasselaer (?)

About this artwork

This intimate miniature portrait on parchment, created by the renowned Dutch Mannerist artist Hendrick Goltus between 1578 1588, measures just 57mm by 44mm, showcasing the precision of his draftsmanship. Likely depicting Pieter Dircksz. Hasser (1544–1616), it mirrors an engraving Goltzius made in 1583 of a standingberdier (B215), whose inscription honors the courageous defenders of Haarlem during the brutal siege of 157273—a pivotal moment in the Dutch Revolt for independence. Hasselaer, a-bearer in that heroic defense, later rose to prominence as a magistrate in Amsterdam and one of the founders of the Dutch East India Company around 1594, linking this artwork to the dawn of Dutch global trade. Earlier scholars debated the sitter's identity, suggesting figures like Gerrit de Jongh or mathematician N. Blok, and noting similarities to a painted portrait by Willem van den Valckert. Goltzius's use of parchment—a rare, animal-derived medium—highlights innovative techniques for portable, detailed likenesses, blending portraiture with historical commemoration in the turbulent Eighty Years' War era.