This signed and dated marriage portrait depicts the wealthy Van Eyewerve-Buuck couple, recognisable from their coats of arms. They are posing before a window with a view of the Kraanplein and the Vlamingstraat, in the economic heart of Bruges, where Jan worked as a merchant. The dog beside the woman symbolises matrimonial fidelity. Pourbus, one of Bruges’ most important artists, here shows himself to be a talented portrait painter.
These two panels comprise a wedding portrait. They date from 1551, as you can read at the top. Beside the woman sits a dog, a common symbol of marital fidelity.
We know the identities of this man and this woman. Posing on the left is 29-year-old Jan van Eyewerve, and on the right, 19-year-old Jacquemyne Buuck. Through the window you can see a lively area of Bruges: with a crane and wine barrels on the quay to the left; and a shop with exotic goods outside to the right. This was the actual view that the wealthy couple Van Eyewerve-Buuck would have seen from their houses in Vlamingstraat. To the left, craftsmen and a mendicant add life to the scene, and to the right we see a merchant and children playing. The choice of these locations was no coincidence: Jan van Eyewerve worked as a merchant.
The newly-married couple are sitting somewhat stiffly and looking rather distant. However, Jan and Jacquemyne are portrayed with a keen eye for detail. Look at their clothes, the striking rings on their fingers, her gold necklace and the rosary in her hand. Jacquemyne is turned towards her husband, which creates a spatial effect. We see him face-on, with his hand on his hip.
Beneath the cityscape are the words ‘Work by Pieter Pourbus’, written in Latin. He is also someone we know well: Pourbus, born in Gouda, became a master painter in Bruges in 1543, at the age of twenty. He was one of Bruges’ most important artists and, amongst other things, worked as a portrait painter. You can see further works by him in the museum, and at that point we will tell you more about this versatile artist.