Dutch Reformed Service in the Grote Kerk of Weesp

The Grote Kerk in Weesp was originally a Catholic church consecrated to St Lawrence, in 1582 it became Protestant and its name was changed from Laurentiuskerk to Grote Kerk.

For Dutch architectural painters the people in the church served as staffage to enliven the stone setting. This is different with Sibilla: for him the architecture is not central, but rather the depicted persons, who are very large in relation to the building. About seventy can be counted, a few of whom seem to be portraits. Certain elements, such as the dogs, bring a genre scene to mind. The combination of a church interior, group portrait, and genre scene is unique in Sibilla’s oeuvre.