Portret van Pieter Andriesz Hesseling 1604 - 1670

Crispijn van de Passe the Younger made this print of Pieter Andriesz Hesseling in the Dutch Republic, sometime in the first half of the 17th century. It presents a portrait of a clergyman, book open before him, skull on a shelf behind. Images like this tell us much about the culture of the period. The Dutch Republic was a Calvinist country. The institutions of the church were central to social life and personal identity. This is reflected in the fashion for sober dark clothing and the emphasis on personal piety. The skull, of course, is a memento mori, a reminder of the transience of life and the importance of religious devotion. The open book symbolises the importance of study and knowledge, particularly knowledge of the scriptures. To understand this image better we would need to know more about the life of Pieter Andriesz Hesseling and the nature of his ministry, as well as the organisation of the Dutch Reformed Church at this time. By considering these institutional and social contexts, we can develop a richer understanding of the artwork.