Artwork

"Rijckje Schimmel-penninghs" and "Lubbert Leever-worst"

"Rijckje Schimmel-penninghs" and "Lubbert Leever-worst", by Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, ink, 1564
"Rijckje Schimmel-penninghs" and "Lubbert Leever-worst", by Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, ink, 1564

"Rijckje Schimmel-penninghs" and "Lubbert Leever-worst" is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Johannes van Doetechum the Elder. It dates from 1564 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created circa 1564, the etching pairs two portrait heads within individual oval frames.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1564, the etching pairs two portrait heads within individual oval frames. Each figure is shown from the chest upward against a striped backdrop, the left sitter wearing a hood and glancing slightly to his right, the right sitter capped with a hat and looking straight ahead. The work exemplifies the modest, serious demeanor typical of mid‑sixteenth‑century Dutch print portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The titles, *Rijckje Schimmel‑penninghs* and *Lubbert Leever‑worst*, identify the two men, suggesting they were known individuals—perhaps merchants or local officials—whose likenesses were recorded for personal or commemorative purposes. The restrained expressions and plain attire emphasize status through sobriety rather than elaborate symbolism.

Technique & Style

Johannes van Doetecum the Elder employed copper‑plate etching, using fine lines and cross‑hatching to render facial features and the textured striped background. The chiaroscuro achieved through delicate shading gives a subtle three‑dimensionality, aligning the work with the broader Renaissance print tradition that valued realistic observation within a compact compositional format.

History & Provenance

Van Doetecum, a Deventer‑born engraver‑cartographer who later settled in Haarlem, produced this piece alongside his brother Lucas, while his family continued the printmaking trade. The etching reflects his practice of creating portrait series after genre scenes, and it survives as part of the limited corpus of his portrait prints documented in late‑16th‑century Dutch collections.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Johannes van Doetechum the Elder

Artist

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder

Joannes van Doetecum the Elder (1530 – 1605) was a Dutch engraver-cartographer known for his etched works after genre scenes by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and maps of various cities in the Netherlands.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.