Portrait of Elias van Cuelen
by SANTVOORT, Dirck Dircksz., Oil on panel, 119 x 89 cm
The sitter, Elias van Cuelen (Dordrecht c.1585-after 1652), was an important Dutch Reformed merchant, who was first married to Jannetje Kemps, daughter of Ambrosius Kemp and family of sergeant Artus Kemp, who died in 1612 in Amsterdam. The latter is portrayed to the right on Rembrandt’s Nightwatch of 1642. Van Cuelen is portrayed seated three-quarter length, wearing a black coat with white cuffs and collar and a hat, holding gloves in his left hand. Upper right the coat-of-arms of the family Van Collen (the later Van Cuelen) can be seen.