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Lot Essay
Though Dirck Dircksz. Santvoort lived to be nearly seventy years old, his prolific painting career was limited to a period of ten years, between 1635 and 1645. From around 1630, the increasing prosperity of Amsterdam fuelled a growing demand for portraiture. Primarily known for his portraits of children, Santvoort became one of the leading independent portrait painters in Amsterdam, helping to supply its wealthy citizens. Artists such as Rembrandt, Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy and Thomas de Keyser, among others, also took advantage of this profitable practice.
The present picture depicts Elias van Cuelen, an important Dutch Reformed merchant. He was first married to Jannetje Kemps, daughter of Abrosius Kemp and family of sergeant Artus Kemp, who died in 1612 in Amsterdam. In 1613, he remarried with Susanna Pijnappel, and they lived on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal in a house opposite Santvoort. A pair of portraits, which have now been attributed to the artist, also depicting Elias van Cuelen, were sold Paris, Tajan, 22 June 1990, lot 50, as attributed to Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy. The male portrait in that work is very similar to the present picture.
The present picture depicts Elias van Cuelen, an important Dutch Reformed merchant. He was first married to Jannetje Kemps, daughter of Abrosius Kemp and family of sergeant Artus Kemp, who died in 1612 in Amsterdam. In 1613, he remarried with Susanna Pijnappel, and they lived on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal in a house opposite Santvoort. A pair of portraits, which have now been attributed to the artist, also depicting Elias van Cuelen, were sold Paris, Tajan, 22 June 1990, lot 50, as attributed to Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy. The male portrait in that work is very similar to the present picture.