Michiel van Miereveld

Miereveld, Michiel Jansz van
Miereveldt, Michiel van
Mierevelt, Michiel van

Dutch, 1567 - 1641

Michiel van Miereveld was born in Delft on May 1, 1567. His father, Jan Michelz Miereveld (1528–1612), was a goldsmith. Although Michiel was to become one of Holland's leading exponents of formal portraiture during the first decades of the seventeenth century, his earliest training was as a history painter, working in the international late mannerist style. Karel van Mander wrote that Van Miereveld's first teacher was Willem Willemsz and that he then studied with "Augustijn at Delft" for some ten weeks before moving on at the age of about fourteen to the studio of Blocklandt, Anthonie van at Utrecht. There he remained for more than two years; following Blocklandt's death, Van Miereveld returned to Delft and began working as a portraitist.

Van Miereveld registered as a member of the Delft painters' guild in 1587 and served as its hoofdman on two occasions, from 1589 to 1590 and again from 1611 to 1612. He frequently traveled the short distance to The Hague to work at the court of the Stadholder, Prince Maurits of Orange. Van Miereveld entered that city's Guild of Saint Luke in 1625, but it is not clear whether he ever lived and worked in The Hague on a full-time basis. Both of his marriages took place in Delft, in 1589 and 1633 respectively, and he bought a house there in 1639. He died in Delft on June 27, 1641. Van Miereveld's work was extremely popular and brought him fame and fortune. At the time of his death, he owned two houses and various pieces of land and belonged “to the wealthiest stratum of the bourgeoisie in Delft.”[1] Sandrart claimed that Van Miereveld painted more than 10,000 portraits. While this figure must be an exaggeration, the artist's oeuvre is indeed very large and is further swelled by numerous repetitions and variations of his compositions executed by pupils and followers. Moreelse, Paulus and Anthonie Palamedesz (1601–1673) were his most notable pupils. Van Miereveld’s sons Pieter (1596–1623) and Jan (1604–1633) also became portraitists.

[1] John Michael Montias, Artists and Artisans in Delft: A Socio-Economic Study of the Seventeenth Century (Princeton, 1982), 129.

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This painting shows a woman from the waist up, in a three-quarter view, facing the left. She has fair skin, a long nose, and narrow, pink lips. Her dark brown hair is styled in a large, smooth bun and accessorized with a golden brooch or pin and a strand of lace. Around her neck is an exaggeratedly large lace collar, with several layers of long, straight lace under three strands of pearls. She wears a dark gown with intricate patterns on the sleeves, a sliver bodice, and lace-trimmed cuffs. The background is plain gray.
Michiel van Miereveld, Portrait of a Lady with a Ruff, 1638, oil on panel, Gift of the Coe Foundation, 1961.5.4

Portrait of a Lady with a Ruff

Michiel van Miereveld · 1638 · oil on panel ·  Accession ID  1961.5.4

The image shows a bust portrait of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, in an oval frame. He is slightly turned to his left, with a neutral expression and a slight smile. He has a long, groomed beard and curly hair, wearing elaborate clothing with lace and pearls. The background is dark and textured within the oval. Outside the frame, there are decorative elements, including feathers, and an engraved base with the name "George Villiers, Duc de Buckingham."
Charles Simonneau, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, published 1707, engraving, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.14.232

George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham

Charles Simonneau · published 1707 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1950.14.232

This image shows the upper half of a man facing forward with his body slightly turned to the right. The man has wavy hair, a full mustache, and a small goatee. He wears clothing typical of the 17th century, including a dark garment with a white ruff collar. The background features an oval frame with leaf-like designs and closely placed parallel lines. Below the portrait is a panel of text.
Abraham Meindersz van der Wenne, Hugo Grotius, engraving, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.14.559

Hugo Grotius

Abraham Meindersz van der Wenne · · engraving ·  Accession ID  1950.14.559

The image depicts an older man with a full beard and mustache, wearing a 17th-century outfit including a ruff and fur-lined cloak. He is seated facing slightly to the left with a plain, dark background.
Jonas Suyderhoff, Michiel Segerman, Gillis de Glarges, 1643, engraving, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.8058

Gillis de Glarges

Jonas Suyderhoff, Michiel Segerman · 1643 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1943.3.8058

The image is a portrait of a person shown from the chest up. The individual is facing the viewer and positioned slightly to the side, with their head turned forward. They have a soft facial expression, with full cheeks and a slight double chin. Their hair is curly, shoulder-length, and dark, framing their face. The person is dressed in a richly detailed garment featuring decorative elements, such as lace and ribbons, with dark beads forming a necklace-like ornament across their chest. The background is a textured surface, likely part of the engraved frame around the oval portrait, which also includes some text around its border and below the image.
Willem Jacobsz Delff, Catherine, Countess of Pallandt, in or after 1636, engraving, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1974.116.64

Catherine, Countess of Pallandt

Willem Jacobsz Delff · in or after 1636 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1974.116.64

The image shows an engraved portrait of a man depicted from the chest up, centered within an oval frame. The man is positioned slightly to the side but faces forward, making eye contact with the viewer. He has a full head of wavy hair that curls slightly at the ends and a distinctive mustache. His facial features are detailed, with a prominent nose and focused gaze. He is wearing a high, ruffled collar typical of the period, along with a fur-trimmed garment. Around him is an engraved frame with inscriptions, and the background is filled with fine lines that add texture to the engraving. Below the portrait, there is a block of text written in an ornate script.
Willem Jacobsz Delff, Jacob Cats, 1636, engraving, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.14.273

Jacob Cats

Willem Jacobsz Delff · 1636 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1950.14.273

The image displays the upper body of a man, depicted in an oval frame. He is positioned facing slightly to his right while looking directly at the viewer. He has a mustache and a pointed beard with moderately long, wavy hair. The man is wearing an elaborate ruffled collar typical of the era and a fur-trimmed coat. There are no visible jewelry or objects being held by the man. The background consists of a textured engraved pattern, and the oval frame bears an inscription with the name "IACOB CATS" and the year designation MDCLXXXV. Below the image, there is a block of text written in a decorative script style.
Cornelis van Dalen I, Jacob Cats, Poet, 1635, engraving, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.14.274

Jacob Cats, Poet

Cornelis van Dalen I · 1635 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1950.14.274

The image shows a portrait of an older man shown from the chest upwards in formal attire. He has a full beard and mustache, curly receding hair, and is wearing a possibly military-style outfit with a lace collar. The background features an oval frame with fine horizontal lines and the inscription "SPES IN DEO SOLO." Below the oval is ornate text related to the subject.
Willem Jacobsz Delff, Henry, Count de Bergh, 1634, engraving, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1974.116.61

Henry, Count de Bergh

Willem Jacobsz Delff · 1634 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1974.116.61

The image shows a portrait of a man. He is positioned slightly facing his left while looking at the viewer. He has a well-groomed beard and mustache, with short hair. His facial features are rendered in a classic portrait style, giving him a composed expression. He is wearing elaborate clothing with intricate patterns, a large lace collar, and buttons on the shoulders. The background is dark, highlighting his clothing and facial features. The portrait is encased within an oval border, with surrounding text.
Willem Jacobsz Delff, William Louis, Count of Nassau-Beilstein, 1633, engraving, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1974.116.62

William Louis, Count of Nassau-Beilstein

Willem Jacobsz Delff · 1633 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1974.116.62

The image displays a portrait of a man within an intricately etched oval frame adorned with floral patterns. The man has a mustache, a small goatee, curly hair styled back, and wears a dark formal garment with a white collar. The background is dark, and below the portrait is an inscription identifying the man as Hugo Grotius, along with additional biographical information and texts in Latin. The portrait is rendered in a classical etching style with precise lines and shading.
Johannes van Munnickhuysen, Hugo Grotius, 1632, engraving, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.14.558

Hugo Grotius

Johannes van Munnickhuysen · 1632 · engraving ·  Accession ID  1950.14.558

Bibliography

1604

  • Mander, Karel van. Het Schilder-boeck. Haerlem, 1604: 301.

1618

  • Mander, Karel van. Het Schlder-boek. 2nd ed. Amsterdam, 1618: 301.

1753

  • Houbraken, Arnold. De Groote Schouburgh der Nederlantsche Konstschilders en Schilderessen. 3 vols. in 1. The Hague, 1753 (Reprint: Amsterdam, 1976): 1:46-49.

1894

  • Havard, Henry. Michiel van Mierevelt et son genre. Paris, 1894.

1908

  • Bredius, Abraham. "Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt." Oud Holland 26 (1908): 1-17.

1925

  • Sandrart, Joachim von. Joachim von Sandrarts Academie der Bau-, Bild, -und Mahlerey-Künste von 1675. Leben der berühmten Maler, Bildhauer und Baumeister. Edited by Alfred R. Peltzer. Abridged ed. Munich, 1925: 171-172, 179 (portrait).

1982

  • Montias, John Michael. Artists and Artisans in Delft: A Socio-Economic Study of the Seventeenth Century. Princeton, 1982.

1986

  • De Jongh, E. Portretten van echt en trouw - Huwelijk en gezin in de Nederlandse kunst van de zeventiende eeuw. Exh. cat. Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem. Zwolle, 1986: 131-133.

1991

  • MacLaren, Neil. The Dutch School, 1600-1900. Revised and expanded by Christopher Brown. 2 vols. National Gallery Catalogues. London, 1991: 1:261.

1995

  • Wheelock, Arthur K., Jr. Dutch Paintings of the Seventeenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1995: 168-169.

2011

  • Overduin, Annekarijn. Meer Van Mierevelt: tentoonstellingsgids bij 'Portretfabriek Van Mierevelt. Ontdek de hand van de meester.' Exh. guide. Museum Het Prinsenhof, Delft, 2011.

  • Jansen, Anita, Rudolf E.O. Ekkart, and Johanneke Verhave. De Portretfabriek van Michiel van Mierevelt (1566-1641). Exh. cat. Museum Het Prinsenhof, Delft. Zwolle, 2011.