The Haarlem artist, Jan de Bray (c.1627 – 1697) may have been taught by his father, the painter and architect Salomon de Bray. Jan de Bray is mainly known for his stately portraits. He was also a master of informal portraits, as can be seen from his lively depiction of a Haarlem printer and his wife, Abraham Casteleyn and Margarieta van Bancken.
In this unusual portrait Jan de Bray has portrayed the couple in an informal setting, relaxing on the terrace. The portrait was painted in 1663: the artist's signature and date are on the cupboard on the left. Casteleyn and his wife had by then been married for two years. The way they hold each other's hands symbolises their marital fidelity. The vine to the right of Margarieta represents the mutual commitment between husband and wife. An unusual feature is the friendly and relaxed expression of both Abraham and Margarieta. This informal pose and the cheerful faces are far from common in seventeenth-century portraiture. Abraham is sitting sideways in his chair and is holding his wife's hand. She is leaning towards him. From his gesture with his right he appears to be about to speak. His hat is on a pile of books; indoors he wore a simple skullcap. Casteleyn and his wife were Mennonites, a Christian sect that believed in the virtues of a sober life. This was the type of dress they wore: simple and unpretentious.
[Oil on canvas, 84 x 108 cm]
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