Pieter Pourbus, Portraits of Jan van Eyewerve and Jaquemyne Buuck

The name and fame of Pieter Pourbus are based largely on his work as a portraitist. The wedding portrait of Jan van Eyewerve and Jacquemine Buuck is his earliest dated work (1551) in this genre. These pendants are the culmination of his art and the best-known works of his whole oeuvre. The depiction of the couple follows the tradition of Renaissance portraiture. In this double portrait, Pourbus manages to fuse ideal features with the individuality of his models. By combining these two aspects, Pourbus developed a highly personal and striking portrait style. Usually, the sitters are placed against a flat and neutral background. In the case of Jan van Eyewerve and Jacquemine Buuck, however, the rear wall has a window that affords a view of Bruges. The realistic and accurate view of the city continues across both panels, connecting them so that they form a whole. The monumentality of his style, the sitters’ postures, the minute detail and the size of the paintings all make the art of Pourbus a perfect match for the needs and the mentality of his middle-class clients.