Portraits of Jacob van de Merckt and His Wife Petronella Witsen
by POT, Hendrick Gerritsz, Oil on oak panel, 42 x 32 cm (each)
Jacob van der Merckt (1599-1653) was an Amsterdam merchant, who traded with Italy, the Levant and Greenland, and was the Regent of the Aalmoezenierweeshuis (Orphanage) in Amsterdam. He married Petronella Witsen (1602-1676) in 1628. The present pictures are marriage portraits. The sitters are identified by labels pasted to the backs of the panels.
Pot favoured small-scale full length portraits as exemplified by the present panels.