Painting of a Jewish High Priest


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An intriguing painting has hung in the Old Church's Churchwardens' Room for centuries, depicting a person. Research is currently being carried out on this painting.

It is possible that it is a fragment of a larger work, since there are remains of a text at the top of the painting. It shows a Jewish high priest or St Nicholas, portrayed from the front. He wears a two-horned head covering set with jewels and a robe with a gold chain with red gemstones. The work is probably a fragment of an altarpiece painted in 1555 by Pieter Aertsen, nicknamed Lange Pier, or 'Lange Piet'. The altarpiece probably depicts a circumcision or marriage ceremony. An expert meeting revealed that it is very well possible that it is rather an independent portrait by Maarten van Heemskerck. So not as previously thought, a fragment of a larger painting.

The painting is now awaiting restoration to establish its maker and preserve it as an important cultural asset of the building.

Artist onbekend 
Period 16th century
Location Kerkmeesterskamer
schilderijen

Painting of a Jewish High Priest

An intriguing painting has hung in the Old Church's Churchwardens' Room for centuries, depicting a person. Research is currently being carried out on this painting.

It is possible that it is a fragment of a larger work, since there are remains of a text at the top of the painting. It shows a Jewish high priest or St Nicholas, portrayed from the front. He wears a two-horned head covering set with jewels and a robe with a gold chain with red gemstones. The work is probably a fragment of an altarpiece painted in 1555 by Pieter Aertsen, nicknamed Lange Pier, or 'Lange Piet'. The altarpiece probably depicts a circumcision or marriage ceremony. An expert meeting revealed that it is very well possible that it is rather an independent portrait by Maarten van Heemskerck. So not as previously thought, a fragment of a larger painting.

The painting is now awaiting restoration to establish its maker and preserve it as an important cultural asset of the building.

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Identifiers and references

Oude kerk Adlib Collect priref 1923