Gerbrand van den Eeckhout - Group Portrait [1657]

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout - Group Portrait [1657], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

This group portrait shows the officials of the guild, which included men who made barrels for the wine imported into Amsterdam and those who sampled and bottled it. The painter's brother Jan is listed among the names which appear in the document on the table, but he has not been identified. In the background is a painting of Saint Matthias, patron saint of the coopers, and the tools carved into the frame are those used by the coopers in the making of the barrels. The name of the guild is written on the seal which hangs over the edge of the table. This type of group portrait, showing the officials of a guild, charitable organisation or civic body, was very popular in the Netherlands during the 17th century.

[Oil on canvas, 163 x 197 cm]