Matthaeus Yrsselius (1541-1629), Abbot of Sint-Michiel's Abbey in Antwerp

The painting employs a restrained palette dominated by white, red, and gold, emphasizing solemnity over ornamentation. Facial features are rendered with soft focus, directing attention to symbolic attire rather than individual likeness. Background elements are simplified, with the coat of arms and mitre positioned symmetrically to frame the figure, reflecting a formal, devotional aesthetic common in ecclesiastical portraiture of the period.

Created circa 1650, the portrait likely originated within the abbey’s circle, possibly commissioned to commemorate Yrsselius’s tenure. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s collection in the late 19th or early 20th century, though its path from the abbey to the museum remains undocumented. The attribution to an unnamed artist reflects the common practice of anonymous production in religious contexts of the time.

In mid-17th century Flanders, monastic leaders were often portrayed in ceremonial dress to affirm their authority amid religious and political upheaval. The depiction of Yrsselius aligns with regional traditions of clerical portraiture, where symbols like the mitre and coat of arms served to communicate institutional continuity. Such images reinforced the abbey’s legitimacy and spiritual presence in post-Reformation Antwerp.

The portrait endures as a visual record of a specific abbot and the monastic culture of Sint-Michiel's Abbey. While not widely exhibited, it contributes to scholarly understanding of how religious authority was visually constructed in the Southern Netherlands. Its preservation in an ethnographic museum underscores its value as a cultural artifact beyond purely artistic merit.