Jan de Bray: The regents of the guild of Saint Luke in Haarlem (1675)

(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

A regents group portrait by the Dutch artist Jan de Bray (1627–1697). The guild of Saint Luke was the guild for artists such as painters, glaziers, sculptors, engravers, potters, book printers, art dealers, gold- & Silversmiths, glass-makers etc. The guild was named after Saint Luke the evangelist, the patron saint of artists, and checked the quality of art, mediated in disputes between artists themselves or between artists and clients and financially supported the poorer guildmebers and their family etc. . Membership also allowed artists to work independently, may sell his work and set up their own workshop with apprentices. The guilds usually also tried to stop artists from outside of the city to sell their paintings in order to protect the local market. The names of the men on this painting have been preserved. Present of the painting from left to right:

- W. Knijf: servant of the guild (he is usually confused the the artist Wouter Knijf)
- Jan de Bray: artist
- Gerrit Mulraet (...-1690): coppersmith and dean of the guild (sitting with the large copper plate in his hand)
- Jan Claesz Marselis: painter and lead-artist, dean of the guild (either standing with hand of his chest or sitting with the hand under his chin)
- Jan de Jongh: painter and dean of the guild (either standing with hand of his chest or sitting with the hand under his chin)
- Jan van Gotingh (...-1697): painter (standing)
- Dirck de Bray: (1635-1694), brother of Jan de Bray: painter and engraver, became a monk after 1678 (sitting)

The men on the painting painting this piece together: Dirck de Bray painted his brother Jan, Jan de Jongh and Jan van Gotingh painted their own portrait while Jan de Bray painted the rest. Painting from 1675.