Portret van Cornelis Pietersz. van Beveren - Simon onder de Linde

A detailed seventeenth-century Dutch engraving depicting Cornelis Pietersz. van Beveren, complete with period-appropriate Latin and Dutch inscriptions.

This engraving depicts Cornelis Pietersz. van Beveren, a figure of political standing in the Netherlands during the sixteenth century. The artist, Simon onder de Linde, employs the precise techniques characteristic of Dutch printmaking from this period. The subject is shown in a half-length pose, wearing a fur-lined mantle and a ruff, which signals his status as a member of the urban elite. His hand rests upon a table, a common compositional device in portraiture to suggest authority and stability.

The background includes a classical column, a motif frequently used in European portraiture to convey permanence and classical education. The print is accompanied by a Latin inscription, 'Hanc laudem feram', followed by a Dutch verse that commemorates Van Beveren's life and his resistance against the tyranny of the Duke of Alba. This text provides a historical context for the sitter, identifying him as a man of public service and civic duty.

The engraving demonstrates a high degree of technical control, particularly in the rendering of textures. The fur of the mantle is achieved through dense, short hatching, while the ruff is defined by crisp, rhythmic lines that capture the starched quality of the fabric. The face is modelled with subtle cross-hatching to suggest volume and the weight of age. As a historical document, the print serves as a visual record of a specific individual, while also reflecting the conventions of seventeenth-century Dutch commemorative portraiture. The inclusion of the verse beneath the portrait indicates that this work was likely intended for a wider audience, perhaps as part of a collection of biographies or historical records of Dutch notables.