Portrait of Gisbert Cuper (1644-1716), three-quarter-length, in a purple robe, standing with his right arm resting on a pillow with a gold medal of the States General, an allegorical figure of the 'stedenmaagd' of Deventer holding the fasces and sculptures of Minerva and Harpocrates beyond; and Portrait of Aleida van Suchtelen (1648-1689), three-quarter-length, standing in a red and yellow dress, with pearls and white lace sleeves, picking a flower, sculptures of the allegorical figures of Caritas and Abundantia beyond

Gisbert Cuper and Aleida van Suchtelen married in 1670 in Deventer. Aleida's father had been mayor to the same city and Gisbert would follow in his father in law's footsteps. Two years before the marriage, Cuper was appointed 'Professor historiarum et eloquentia' at Deventer's Atheneum. The medal depicted in his portrait reminds us of another important appointment in his carreer: he became a member of the States General. The allegorical figure of the 'Stedenmaagd' of Deventer in the painting alludes to his period as mayor and the two statues symbolize his erudition. Minerva, of course, stands for Wisdom in general and he himself published an essay on the Egyptian deity Harpocrates in 1676. Also the portrait of Aleida is full of symbols. The rose and statue of Caritas refer to love and the statue of Abundantia symbolizes her well-being and fertility (see E. de Jongh, Portretten van Echt en Trouw, Haarlem and Zwolle, 1986, pp. 196-8, no. 41).

Both portraits were probably painted in The Hague between 1681 and 1689 when, as member of the States General from 1681, Gisbert spent a lot of time there. 1689 marks the year of Aleida's untimely death.