Artwork
Portrait of Grietje Pietersdr Codde (1538-1607)
Portrait of Grietje Pietersdr Codde (1538-1607) is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Adriaen Thomasz. Key. It dates from 1586 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This 1586 portrait depicts Grietje Pietersdr Codde (1538-1607), wife of Jacob Bas Claesz, in a formal bust format.
About this work
It was meant to hang beside her husband’s picture, so the two would face each other on the wall.
You see a woman in a dark dress with a white ruff collar, her face turned slightly to the side. Above her shoulder floats a small family crest—red and gold.
This portrait was painted in 1586, but the artist’s name is lost. It was meant to hang beside her husband’s picture, so the two would face each other on the wall. The paint is smooth, with no brushstrokes you can see.
To see more portraits like this, visit the Rijksmuseum.
Overview
This 1586 portrait depicts Grietje Pietersdr Codde (1538-1607), wife of Jacob Bas Claesz, in a formal bust format. The subject is shown turned slightly to the left, set against a somber background, with a distinctive white ruff collar and a small, red and gold family crest positioned above her right shoulder.
Subject & Meaning
As the spouse of Jacob Bas Claesz, Grietje's portrait was conceived as part of a pair (pendant) with her husband's, intended to be displayed together, facing each other. This pairing symbolizes marital unity and social status.
Technique & Style
The painting is characterized by smooth, opaque brushwork, with no visible strokes, indicative of the refined, detailed approach typical of late 16th-century Dutch portraiture. The composition's simplicity emphasizes the subject's demeanor and attire.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1586, the artist remains unidentified. Originally designed to accompany SK-A-514 (Jacob Bas Claesz's portrait), this work's provenance suggests it was likely kept within the family or in similar private contexts before its current institutional placement.
Context
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, this portrait reflects the era's emerging middle-class values, where such paired portraits signified not only marital bond but also the growing prosperity and status of the emerging bourgeoisie.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen Thomasz. Key (c. 1544 in Antwerp – after 1589 in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter of portraits and religious paintings, a draughtsman and a printmaker. He worked for a while in the Antwerp workshop of the…
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