Rembrandt.Portrait of Jan Six.
1654. Oil on canvas. Foudation Six, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. More.
Jan Six (1618-1700) was a friend and patron of
the artist. He came from a noble Huguenot family, which had fled to Amsterdam
from France at the end of the 16th century and accumulated a fortune in
the textile trade. Six was involved in the family business until he entered
civic politics in Amsterdam, serving as burgomaster of the city in 1691.
Loving arts and poetry Six was a member of the so-called Muiderkring (Muiden
circle) which gathered around Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, and he published
volumes of poetry and plays. He collected works of art – antique sculpture,
Dutch and Italian masters, including a number of paintings by Rembrandt.
Their relationship was, however, one of friendship rather than simply that
of patron and artist. Rembrandt etched the title page for Six’s tragedy
Medea and made two drawings for his Album Amicorum in 1652.
The portrait is still owned by a direct descendant of the sitter, also
Jan Six.
