Anonymous: Two regents of the bag-carrier guild (1643)

(Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar, Alkmaar, The Netherlands)

A painting by an unknown Dutch artist. The bag-carrier guild was a large Medieval guild who were responsible for the loading and unloading of grains, wood, salt, malt, beer, wine, herring etc. from the ships (it was illegal for other people to carry goods in exchange for money). The two men on this portrait are two regents (Dutch 'overlieden') of the guild, they part of the board-of-directors of the guild in the town of Alkmaar. On the left is A.S. Raephorst (1600-..) and on the right Reijnert Claesz Mandemaecker (1601-1663). The symbol in the middle is the emblem of the guild. Painting from 1643.