Mercury Journal 1 

• New data on Hendrick ter Brugghen ‐ Introduction and family background 
by Marten Jan Bok and Yoriko Kobayashi 
• The 'Concert of the Muses' in the Work of Maarten van Heemskerck 
By Ilja M. Veldman 
• Cornelis Stangerus, an 'artful painter' 
by Guido Jansen 

Mercury Journal 2 

• Two drawings in the Uffizi: Goltzius and Wtewael 
by E.K.J. Reznicek 
• The date of Cornelis van Poelenburch's birth 
by Marten Jan Bok 
• Berchem in Italy: notes on an unpublished painting 
by Guido Jansen 
• Ruth and Naomi of 1653: an unpublished painting by Jan Victors 
by Debra Miller 
• Tuscan visitors for Adriaen van der Werff 
by Henk T. van Veen 
• A note on Isaack Versteech 
by John Michael Montias 

Mercury Journal 3 

• `Cadmus, His Companions, and the Dragon': a Newly‐discovered Painting by Hendrick Goltzius 
by Charlotte Christensen and Lawrence W. Nichols 
• Paintings by Jan van Noordt 
by Werner Sumowski 
• A discussion on Rembrandt in eighteenth‐century Amsterdam: Petrus Camper versus Cornelis Ploos 
van Amstel 
by Jan Baptist Bedaux 

Mercury Journal 4 

• A "Mercury, Argus and Io" from Utrecht 
by Christina J.A. Wansink 
• Did Hendrick ter Brugghen revisit Italy? Notes from an unknown manuscript by Cornelis de Bie 
by Christiaan Schuckman 
• Political Iconography in a Painting by Jan Miense Molenaer 
by Nanette Salomon 
• A fragment of a "Pronkstilleven" by Jasper Geerards in the Bredius Museum 
by Fred G. Meier 
• An attribution to Gerard Wigmana 
by Jim van der Meer Mohr 

 
 • A Newly‐discovered Painting by Hendrick Goltzius: A Correction 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mercury Journal 5 

• Not two, but three scenes from the Historiae Aethiopicae by Abraham Bloemaert 
by Ben Broos 
• Ter Brugghen, Dürer and Lucas van Leyden 
by Paul van Kooij 
• The Maps of Willem Buytewech 
by James A. Welu 
• An Unexpected Classical Source for Jacob Jordaens 
by Edith Wyss 
• The Provenance and Impact of Anthony van Dyck's Portraits of Frans Snijders and Margaretha de Vos 
in the Frick Collection 
by Katlijne Van der Stighelen 
• A Schalcken for Prince Ferdinando de' Medici 
by Henk T. van Veen 

Mercury Journal 6 

• Some History and Genre Paintings by Willem van der Vliet 
by Christina J.A. Wansink 
• The Levite and his Concubine at the House of the Field Laborer in Gibeah: the iconography of an Old 
Testament Theme in Dutch Painting of Rembrandt's Circle. 
by Volker Manuth 
• Gabriel Bucelinus and "The Names of the Most Distinguished European Painters" 
by Robert Schillemans 
• Nicolaes Berchem: a New Drawing and a Suggestion 
by Lubomír Konečny 
• Theological Corrections to Art: Notes on an Unknown Painting by Erasmus II Quellinus 
by Gregor J.M. Weber 
• A Winter Landscape by Salomon Rombouts 
by Rob Ruurs 

Mercury Journal 7 

• Drowned or Murdered? A New Interpretation of a Miracle by St Antony of Padua by Gerard David 
by Edwin Buijsen 
• The Judgment of Paris, a Newly Discovered Painting by Maarten van Heemskerck 
by Ilja M. Veldman 
• Ter Brugghen, Elsheimer, Poel and Rubens 
by Gregor J.M. Weber 

 
 • Jan Davidsz. de Heem's Earliest Paintings, 1626‐1628 
by Fred G. Meier 
• Another Look at De Heem's Early Dutch Period, 1626‐1635 
by Ingvar Bergström 
• Between Caravaggism and Classicism: Bathsheba by Jan Gerritsz. and Johannes van Bronchorst 
by Thomas Döring 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mercury Journal 8 

• A Pair by Van Bijlert 
by Peter C. Sutton 
• Peter Lely, Dutch History Painter 
by Jacques Foucart 
• A Clio by Godfried Schalcken for Ferdinando de' Medici, Prince of Tuscany 
by Elisabeth Epe 
• Improving and Finishing Old Master Drawings: an Art in Itself 
by Ben Broos 

Mercury Journal 9 

• The Date of Abraham Bloemaert's Birth 
by Rob Ruurs 
• Ter Brugghen Borrows from Bonasone 
by Paul van Kooij 
• Peter and Paul by Jacob Cuyp: Rare Seventeenth‐Century Dutch Pendants 
by Alan Chong 
• An Unknown Painting by Moeyaert and Its Reconstruction 
by Mary Ann Scott † 
• Johan Baeck, Painter and Soldier of Utrecht 
by Paul Huys Janssen 
• How "Modern" is Minimalist Art? The Case of Pol Bury's Sphere Upon a Cube (1971) 
by John F. Moffitt 

Mercury Journal 10 

• An Allegorical Composition by Joachim Patinier 
by M. Severi 
• Karel van Mander as a Fresco Painter 
by E.K.J. Reznicek 
• Drawings by David Vinckboons as Models for Ornamenting Bible Maps 
by Shirley K. Bennett 
• Rubens or Van Dyck? "Mucius Scaevola before Lars Porsenna" and Some Problematic Drawings 
by Jeremy Wood 

 
 • Claude de Jongh, "Painter, Sorely Incapacitated in His Arms": a Study of His Milieu 
by Marten Jan Bok 

Mercury Journal 11 

• Drawings by Maerten de Vos: Designs to Ornament an Ortelius Map 
by Shirley K. Bennett 
• Abraham Bloemaert's "Farmers in the Field" 
by Marcel Roethlisberger 
• The Significance of a Table Leg: Some Remarks on Gerard van Honthorst's "Steadfast Philosopher" 
by E.K.J. Reznicek 
• Cornelis Schut in Italy 
by Hans Vlieghe 
• Before Rembrandt's "Shadow" Fell: Lievens, Van Dyck and Rubens: Some Reconsiderations 
by J. Douglas Stewart 
• Jan Davidsz. de Heem's Birthplace and Family 
by Marten Jan Bok 
• Pieter van Laer, Benjamin Cuyp, Gerard Douffet and Karel Dujardin in Utrecht 
by Paul Huys Janssen 

Mercury Journal 12 

• The Portraits of "The Vrijdags van Vollenhoven Family" by Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn 
by Rudolf E.O. Ekkart 
• A "Holy Family" by Gerrit van Honthorst from the "Provenhuis van Nordingen" at Alkmaar 
by Sandra de Vries 
• Dordrecht Family Portraits Identified and Attributed to Paulus Lesire 
by John Loughman 
• A Family Tradition Confirmed: Sweerts's Portrait of Anthonij de Bordes 
by Guido M.C. Jansen 
• A Postscript on Vermeer and His Milieu 
by John Michael Montias cum sociis 

Mercury Journal 13‐14 

• Silver in Pictures 
by Karel Citroen 
• A Family Divided 
by Peter C. Sutton 
• Florentine Influences on an Early Seventeenth‐Century Dutch Painter 
by Sabine Jacob 
• "Peter and Paul" by Jacob Gerritsz. Cuyp and Pieter de Grebber 
by Christina J.A. Wansink 
• A Key Drawing by Pieter Mulier the Elder 
by Michiel Plomp 
• Genre Paintings by Laurence Neter of Elblag 
by Paul Huys Janssen 
• Jan Lievens's "The Shield‐Raising of Brinio" ‐ a Second Oil Sketch 
by Gregor J.M. Weber 

 
 • Altarpieces by Carel van Savoy and Nicolaes Roosendael 
by Robert Schillemans 
• Nine Religious Drawings by Nicolaes Berchem: Designs to Ornament Maps in a 1669 Bible 
by Shirley K. Bennett 
• Additions to Godfried Schalcken's Oeuvre as a Draftsman 
by Guido Jansen 
• A Picture by Frans de Jongh (d. 1705) 
by J. van Tatenhove 
• Willem van Mieris: "Tarquinius and Lucretia," a Drawing and a Painting 
by Ben Broos 

The Portraits of "The Vrijdags van Vollenhoven Family" by Jan

Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn
by Rudolf E.O. Ekkart

Two impressive portraits by the Hague painter Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn were shown at
the Delft Antique Fair in 1988. The lifesize three-quarter-length portraits are of a man and a
woman who, judging by their pose and clothing, were fairly well-to-do (figs. 1, 2). The male
portrait bears the artist's monogram, the year 1623 and the age 51, while that of the woman
is fully signed and dated 1620, but does not give her age.[1] Although our search for the
identity of the two sitters has not yet been successful, it has uncovered a substantial amount
of data which would seem to merit publication. Moreover, our investigations have now
reached an impasse, and the announcement of what is known so far may help to bring new
information to light.

Despite the fact that the two portraits are of the same size - an unusually large one in Jan
van Ravesteyn's oeuvre - and that the sitters are of similar age and high social standing, a
closer look raises doubts as to whether the paintings are indeed pendants, as has hitherto
been assumed. The discrepancy of three years between them is not in itself evidence to the
contrary, since such differences between pendants are not uncommon. Far more significant,
however, is the fact that the two canvases do not correspond compositionally.

Nevertheless, the portraits have evidently been together for a considerable time. They were
auctioned in Paris in 1960 as portraits of an unknown man and woman,[2] and their history
can be traced further back without too much difficulty, although there is a gap of 85 years
that cannot yet be accounted for. It can be demonstrated that the paintings were auctioned in
Paris in 1875 as part of the Prince Paul Galitzin Collection.[3] The sale catalogue refers to
engravings that Charles Waltner produced in the same year for the journal L'Art, and these
make it clear that the paintings were indeed the two portraits from 1620 and 1623 under
discussion here.[4 ] Surprisingly, the sitters are identified, both on the prints and in the

 
auction catalogue, as "Monsieur et Madame Vrijdags van Vollenhoven." The portraits are
referred to by that name in several later publications too. M.W.R. van Vollenhoven's scantily
documented genealogical study, Het geslacht van Vollenhoven of 1917,[5] contains
reproductions after the engravings, with captions erroneously stating that the two portraits
were at the museum in Lille. This book also contains reproductions of two other pictures by
Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn, of a younger man and woman, who in this case are correctly
said to be in the Lille museum (figs. 3, 4).[6] They too are identified as "Vrijdags van
Vollenhoven," and the museum's publications still gives them this name.[7] Yet Van
Vollenhoven's book offers no information about these four people, nor does it give any proof
of the existence of a Vrijdags van Vollenhoven branch of the family. This is not surprising, as
further research reveals that there probably never was a family with this double-barrelled
name. The names attached to Van Ravesteyn's four portraits should therefore be regarded
as fictitious.

1. J. van Ravesteyn, Portrait of a Man, dated, inscribed and monogrammed "An° 1623 Aetatis 51 JVR:
fecit". Canvas, 130 x 101 cm. The Hague, Gallery Hoogsteder B.V.

 
2. J. van Ravesteyn, Portrait of a Woman, signed and dated "An° 1620 JVRavesteyn fec". Canvas,
132 x 101.5 cm. The Hague, Gallery Hoogsteder B.V.

3. J. van Ravesteyn, Portrait of a Man. Canvas, 133 x 101 cm. Lille, Musée des Beaux-Arts

 
 4. J. van Ravesteyn, Portrait of a Woman, signed and dated lower left: "Ravesteyn fe Anno 1620".
Canvas, 131 x 103 cm. Lille, Musée des Beaux-Arts

Nevertheless, the two paintings in Lille (which fit together very well) are of the same
unusually large format as the portraits of 1620 and 1623, and resemble them in many other
respects as well (figs. 3, 4). The picture of the woman in Lille is signed and dated 1620, while
that of the man can be dated in or around the same year.[8] These similarities, and the fact
that the paintings are known by the same name, offer sufficient reason to suppose that the
four paintings once belonged together.

Our next step was to do further research on the provenance of the four portraits. Nothing is
known about the way in which Prince Paul Galitzin came into possession of his two paintings
(figs. 1, 2), but the 1875 auction catalogue contains clues indicating that he acquired most of
his collection in the years immediately prior to the auction. The two pieces at the Lille Musée
des Beaux-Arts, according to the museum, were acquired in 1868 with the help of the Paris
art dealer Léon Gauchez at the auction of the estate of the last descendant of the "Vrydag
family."[9 ] However, we found no trace of an auction of a Vrijdag Collection, and this line of
inquiry therefore drew a blank as well. The only way to proceed at that stage was to scour
the formidable collection of auction excerpts at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD)
in The Hague in the hope of discovering a sale catalogue listing at least two, and preferably
four, portraits painted by Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn of the unusual size of ca. 130 x 100
centimeters. Finally, I indeed came across an auction held in 1867 of the estate of J.F. van
Vrijberghe listing not just four, but six portraits of that size by Van Ravesteyn. They are
described as follows.

70. Portret van een edelman in zwarte
kleeding, met geplooide kraag; kniestuk. h.
132, br. 1 el. Paneel.
(Voor f 175 gekocht door Roos voor
Hopman)
70. Portrait of a nobleman dressed in
black, with pleated ruff; three-quarter
length; height 132, width 1 el. Panel.
(Bought by Roos for Hopman for Dfl.
175)

 
 71. Een deftig vrouwenportret, in zwart
zijden kleeding met bont omzoomd,
kniestuk. hoogte en breedte als voren.
(Voor f 265 gekocht door Roos voor
Hopman)
71. A distinguished portrait of a
woman in a black silk costume trimmed
with fur, three-quarter length. Height
and width as above.
(Bought by Roos for Hopman for Dfl.
265)

72. Een portret van een bevallige jonge
dame in zwart satijnen kleeding, prachtig
geplooide kraag, met gouden keten om de
hals; aller fraaist portret van den meester.
hoogte en breedte als voren.
(Voor f 300 gekocht door Roos voor
Hopman)
72. Portrait of an attractive young lady
in a black satin costume, exquisitely
pleated ruff, with a gold chain around
her neck; very beautiful portrait by the
master. Height and width as above.
(Bought by Roos for Hopman for Dfl.
300)

73. Een Dames portret met rood satijnen
onderkleed en zwart satijnen overkleed
met goud geborduurd lijf, zij heeft een
breed geplooiden kanten kraag om den
hals en een met paarlen versierd
hoofdtooisel. h.132, br. el d. Doek.
(Voor f 370 gekocht door Roos voor
Hopman)
73. Portrait of a lady in a red satin skirt
and black satin overgarment, the
bodice embroidered in gold; she has a
wide, pleated lace ruff around her neck
and a headdress trimmed with pearls.
Height 132, width el. d. Canvas.
(Bought by Roos for Hopman for Dfl.
370)

74. Portret van een edelman in zwart
satijnen kleeding, staande bij een tafel.
hoogte en breedte als voren.
(Voor f 225 gekocht door Roos voor
Hopman)
74. Portrait of a nobleman dressed in
black satin, standing by a table. Height
and width as above.
(Bought by Roos for Hopman for Dfl.
225)

75. Portret van een edelman, met kleine
geplooiden kraag. hoogte en breedte als
voren.
(Voor f 365 gekocht door Roos voor
Hopman)
75. Portrait of a nobleman with small
pleated ruff. Height and width as
above.
(Bought by Roos for Hopman for Dfl.
365

All six paintings are listed in the catalogue as by "J. van Ravenstein."[10] There is no
mention of signatures or dates, and the dimensions given for no. 73 are incomplete. It should
also be noted that in 1867 the terms el and duim referred not to the old Dutch measurements
but to meters and centimeters. It seems questionable whether the mention of "panel" under
no. 70 is correct. Should it not be "canvas?" If it was indeed panel, one wonders whether the
word refers just to this one piece, although the absence of any mention of a support in the
two subsequent entries should normally be taken to mean that they were also done on panel.
The prices paid for the six portraits were among the highest at the auction, and the Dfl. 1,700
that they fetched formed a large share of the total of Dfl. 4,290.21 for the 223 lots.[11] The

 
person for whom the auctioneer Roos purchased the portraits must have been Willem
Anthonie Hopman (1828-1910), a restorer who occasionally also bought and sold art.[12]
The appearance of this rare series of paintings at an auction in 1867 and of four similar ones
on the art market in 1868 and subsequent years, strongly suggests that they were the same
works and that two disappeared in the interim.

In 1867 or 1868 Hopman apparently sold at least two of them either directly or indirectly to
the Paris art dealer Gauchez, who subsequently sold them to the museum in Lille. The
portraits which were in the Prince Paul Galitzin Collection several years later may likewise
have been acquired from Gauchez. Maybe all six paintings found their way to France through
the same dealer. The two portraits in Lille (figs. 3, 4) are probably nos. 72 and 74 in the 1867
auction catalogue, while the 1620 portrait of an older woman is undoubtedly no. 71 and that
of the older man from 1623 probably no. 75 (figs. 2, 1). The provenance of the four pieces
from the Van Vrijberghe auction suggests that the appellation "Vrijdags van Vollenhoven"
was probably due to a corruption of the name, and the addition of "Van Vollenhoven" to
fantasy.

The discovery that the four works by Jan van Ravesteyn (figs. 1-4) had been acquired at an
auction of family portraits held in 1867 meant that we could now study the vendor's family in
the hope of establishing the identity of the sitters. So far, however, our efforts have been in
vain. Numbers 70-75 were in the first part of the auction, which, according to the catalogue,
had belonged to Jonkheer J.F. van Vrijberghe van Westenschouwen of Zierikzee. Although
the wording of the text does not indicate unequivocally that these items were in fact Van
Vrijberghe's, other evidence proves almost conclusively that the Van Ravesteyns, as well as
most of the other portraits in the auction, were indeed from his estate. Elsewhere the home
of the wealthy Johan François van Vrijberghe (1776-1845) is described as
follows:............................................