Portret van Jan Pynas 1594 - 1707

This portrait of Jan Pynas, held at the Rijksmuseum, was drawn anonymously using pen in gray and brown ink, with gray and brown wash. The inscription tells us that Pynas was a history painter from Haarlem who spent many years in Italy. What does it mean to be a history painter in the Dutch Golden Age? It’s worth remembering that the economic boom in the Netherlands led to the rise of a wealthy merchant class who wanted to display their status and refinement through art. So, while history painting was traditionally commissioned by the church and state, the Dutch art market was open to a wider audience. Painters like Pynas looked to Italy for inspiration, often adopting classical and biblical themes. We might ask to what extent his art reinforced existing social hierarchies, or whether it offered a space for new interpretations of the past. Researching the patronage and reception of Pynas’s paintings can shed light on the role of art in shaping Dutch society.