Portrait of a Man, perhaps Willem Simon-Maertensz, Lord of Stavenisse and Cromstrijen, repeatedly Burgomaster of Zierikzee

The painting is executed in oil on oak panel, with the support measuring 79 cm in height and 64 cm in width. The handling is consistent with mid-16th-century Northern European portraiture, featuring smooth, blended transitions in the modeling of the sitter’s face and crisp detailing in the costume and accessories. The rendering of the black cap and ruff emphasizes the contrast between matte textures and reflective highlights, while the landscape background is softly atmospheric, employing glazing to suggest depth. No losses or significant abrasions are indicated in the available records.

The portrait is dated 1557 and is executed in oil on panel, with dimensions of 79 × 64 cm. It has been held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum since its acquisition.

The sitter has been identified as Willem Simon-Maertensz, Lord of Stavenisse and Cromstrijen, who served multiple terms as Burgomaster of Zierikzee. The painting’s early history and original commission remain undocumented; its first recorded location is within the Rijksmuseum’s holdings.

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is recorded as inventory number SK-C-1024.

It was first publicly exhibited in the museum’s 1896 exhibition of Dutch portraits, and it appeared again in the 1958 display “Dutch Portraits of the Sixteenth Century.”

The work is an oil portrait of a middle‑aged man rendered in a restrained palette of dark browns. He is depicted in a solemn pose, his beard and moustache full, his hands resting on a small object that may be a book or a letter. A simple, dark background isolates the figure, while a modest coat of arms hangs at the right edge of the canvas.