Jan van Bijlert: Portraits of the Inhabitants at Saint Jobsgasthuis in Utrecht (1630-1635)

(Centraal Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands)

A painting by the Dutch artist Jan van Bijlert (1597-1671). The Saint Jobsgasthuis in Utrecht was founded in 1504 as a hospital for syphilitic patients but in the 16th and 17th century it developed into a home for elderly men. This group portrait shows 10 inhabitants of this institute. This is a rather unique portrait as no other portraits are known in which poor people take the center stage. Painting from 1630-1635.