Michiel de Roode was considered to be an important mecenas in Amsterdam; he collected paintings, rare books and valuable objects. In 1732 he purchased the Pan Poëticon Batavum, a collection of 200 miniature portraits 'en grisaille' started by Arnoud van Halen. De Roode recommissioned 22 of the weaker portraits to be replaced by better examples and further supplemented Van Halen's work by adding 113 portraits of painters and poets of which a large number have been executed by Jan Maurits Quinkhard.
Trained as a painter under Arnold Boonen, Nicolaas Verkolje and Christoph Lubienietzki, Quinkhard was a successful artist and art dealer in Amsterdam, who especially enjoyed a notable reputation as a portraitist. In 1734 De Roode asked Quinkhard to portray him for the Pan Poëticon. Four years later the artist was commissioned to portray De Roode again for the present painting, this time with his best friend Jan Punt who was a celebrated actor, artist and publisher. At the time of this double portrait Punt worked as an actor in Amsterdam, starring in popular plays such as 'Julius Ceasar and Cato', 'Jacoba van Beijeren' and 'De belegeringhe van Leyden', while Jacob de Wit taught him to paint. Later he turned to etching and gave lessons to Reinier Vinkeles and others. In 1765 he was a member of the Amsterdam Guild of St Luke.
The depicted 'en grisaille' miniature in the present lot almost certainly is that of Joost van den Vondel as known from the Pan Poëticon. The collection was auctioned following De Roode's death. 83 portraits of the Pan Poëticon Batavum are now in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.