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Possibly a portrait of Pieter Coecke van Aelst and his wife Mayken Verhulst and their children

Unknown

1550

oil

panel

From the collection of Kunsthaus Zürich

Northern Renaissance Renaissance Portrait

Dominant colour

Possibly a portrait of Pieter Coecke van Aelst and his wife Mayken Verhulst and their children is a 1550 oil by Unknown, a Northern Renaissance work, held at Kunsthaus Zürich.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1550 · Northern Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Kunsthaus Zürich

About this work

The painting depicts a man and woman seated at a table, with the man on the left and the woman on the right. The man is wearing a black hat and a black coat with a white ruffled collar, while the woman is wearing a white head covering and a black coat. In front of them, on the table, is a human skull. Behind the couple, a wall features a small painting of three children peering over a ledge, with a piece of paper pinned to the wall below them. The overall atmosphere of the painting is somber, with the couple's serious expressions and the presence of the skull contributing to a sense of gravity. The small painting of the children adds a touch of warmth and humanity to the scene. For more information on the artist's use of chiaroscuro, look up the technique.