Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder

Portrait of Jakob Omphalius (1500-1567), 1538/39

1225 voorzijde
1225 achterzijde
1225 voorzijde
1225 voorzijde

Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder
Portrait of Jakob Omphalius (1500-1567), 1538/39

1538-1539 On view in Room 7

In the run-up to their wedding in 1539, Elisabeth Bellinghausen and Jakob Omphalius commissioned a diptych from the Cologne painter Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder (1493-1555). Bruyn was particularly successful as a portraitist – an entire generation of Cologne dignitaries had their portrait painted by him.

In the late 19th century the two portraits became separated – Elisabeth later ended up at the Mauritshuis, while Jakob’s whereabouts remained unknown. When his portrait turned up at an art dealer’s, we were able to acquire it. And reunited the couple.

The Portrait of Elisabeth Bellinghausen has been at the Mauritshuis on long-term loan from the Rijksmuseum since 1951. The Portrait of Jakob Omphalius was acquired in close consultation with that museum. Now, the engaged couple have matching frames and will remain on view at the Mauritshuis.

Technical details

Kijk - Jakob en Elisabeth eindelijk weer samen

Pendant

889 voorzijde

Portrait of Elisabeth Bellinghausen (c.1520- after 1570)

1225 voorzijde

Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder
Portrait of Jakob Omphalius (1500-1567), 1538/39

1538-1539 On view in Room 7

Acquired with the support of the VriendenLoterij, the Rembrandt Association (thanks in part to its Schorer Romeijn Grothe Fonds and its Themafonds Middeleeuwen en Renaissance), and H.B. van der Ven, 2020
Upwards

Details

General information
Artist Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder (Wesel 1493 - 1555 Cologne)
Title Portrait of Jakob Omphalius (1500-1567), 1538/39
Dated 1538-1539
Object name painting
Inventory number 1225
On view in Room 7
Material and technical details
Technique oil
Material panel
Dimensions 31 x 21.5 cm

Provenance

Charles Wertheimer Gallery, London; Arthur Seymour, London; his sale, London (Christie’s), 4 July 1896 (Lugt 54604), no. 45 (as J. de Mabuse [= Jan Gossaert]; for 150 Pound to Agnew); Agnew Gallery, London, 1896; Ralph Brocklebank, Haughton Hall, Haughton, Cheshire (as J. Gossaert); his sale, London (Christie's), 7 July 1922 (Lugt 83962), no. 76 (as B. Bruyn; for 336 pound to ‘Gorer’); Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, Frankfurt am Main, until May 1926; J. and S. Goldschmidt Gallery, Frankfurt am Main and Berlin, May 1926; Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, Frankfurt am Main; forced sale to the city of Frankfurt am Main and housed in the Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt am Main, inv. no. St.G. 862, 1938-1948; restituted by the city to the heirs of Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, 1948; presumably Rosenberg & Stiebel Gallery, New York, 1950; private collection, Paris; sale Paris (Galerie Charpentier), 7 June 1955, no. 20; private collection, Paris; sale Paris (Baron Ribeyre), 15 May 2019, no. 70; De Jonckheere Gallery, Geneva, 2019-2020; acquired with the support of the VriendenLoterij, the Rembrandt Association (thanks in part to its Schorer Romeijn Grothe Fonds and its Themafonds Middeleeuwen en Renaissance) and Mr H.B. van der Ven, 2020