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Portrait of Machtelt Suijs by Maarten van Heemskerck

Maarten van Heemskerck · 1542-01-01

Maarten van Heemskerck's Portrait of Machtelt Suijs, 1542, from The Cleveland Museum of Art, shows a woman of status. The artist, trained in Italy, brought Renaissance techniques to Dutch portraiture.

Look at her direct gaze and the ornate gold necklace. Her hands hold a rosary and a ring, hinting at her piety and wealth. Notice the grotesque demon head in the background, a symbolic counterpoint to the cherub figure near the bottom margin.

Heemskerck's time in Italy profoundly influenced his style, evident in the precise rendering of details and the play of light and shadow. This portrait offers a window into the life and social standing of a 16th-century Dutch woman.

What do the contrasting background figures suggest about the sitter's world?

Details

Her face looks directly at you.
Her face looks directly at you.
Her hands hold a rosary and a ring.
Her hands hold a rosary and a ring.
A grotesque demon head is in the background.
A grotesque demon head is in the background.
Transcript

This is Machtelt Suijs, in 1542. Her face looks directly at you. Look at her elaborate gold necklace. Her hands hold a rosary and a ring. The green stone ring signifies wealth. A grotesque demon head is in the background. This small cherub is in the lower margin. The artist learned from Italian masters.