Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart), 'A Man with a Rosary'

The identity of the sitter

A. J. Wauters proposed, on the basis of unconvincing comparisons with other portraits, that the sitter was Gossart’s patron Philip of Burgundy (1465–1524), Bishop of Utrecht.⁶ The only indications of the man's identity are his clothes, which are unusual but so similar to those of men in two portraits attributed to Mostaert (Brussels and Liverpool: figs.22, 23) as to suggest that all three are wearing official dress of some kind.⁷ Their doublets are open at the neck and lined with materials of contrasting colours; they wear low-necked garments over their doublets and under their gowns; their gowns are all fur-lined, with hanging sleeves and turned-back fur collars that hang like capes across their backs. Though similar in construction, their clothes differ in colour. The doublets are crimson velvet in the Brussels and Liverpool portraits, purple satin(?) in NG656; the intermediary garments are brown in Brussels, dark grey in Liverpool and black in NG656; the gown is dark grey in Brussels, brown in Liverpool and black in NG656; the fur linings are spotted (lynx?) in Brussels and Liverpool but plain brown in NG656. The Brussels and Liverpool sitters have hats and gloves, whereas in NG656 the sitter has removed his hat and gloves, perhaps because he confronts directly the object of his devotion.

The Brussels sitter has been plausibly identified as Abel van Coulster (1477–1548), councillor at the Court or Council of Holland, Zeeland and West Friesland from 1506 until his death.⁸ It is possible that the Liverpool and London sitters are also officials of the Council of Holland – or possibly another Council – and that their different offices are indicated by the differing colours of their robes.⁹

Further Sections

• Introduction
• Provenance and exhibitions
• Technical notes
• Description
• The identity of the sitter
• Attribution and original function
• Date