(Centraal Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
A painting by the Dutch artist Dirck van Baburen (1595-1624). This painting shows a scene from the play "Granida", written by the Dutch poet, historical and playwright Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (1581 – 1647). In the play, Granida, the daughter of a Persian king, and betrothed to Prince Tisiphernes, lost her way while out hunting. She came upon a shepherd Daifilo and his mistress Dorilea who had just quarrelled. Daifilo fetched water for the princess to drink and fell in love with her. He followed her to court and, after several turns in the story, they fled to the woods together to live a pastoral life. Daifilo was taken prisoner by one of Granida's several suitors. They were finally reunited after the intervention of Tisiphernes who yielded his claim to her. On the painting, these main characters are portraits of the Dutch Pieter van Hardenbroeck (1593-1658), 11th lord of Hardenbroeck, and his lover the nun Agnes van Hanxelaer (?-1653). Pieter van Hardenbroeck was in love with Agnes who left the monastery because of him in 1623. The couple married in 1628 and got at least 1 child. Painting from 1623
