Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen (c. 1503-1559) was a prominent Dutch Renaissance artist, celebrated for his skills as a painter, printmaker, and tapestry designer. Born in Beverwijk, Netherlands, Vermeyen’s artistic journey began in the early 16th century, during the rise of the Northern Renaissance. His formative years included associations with influential artists like Jan Gossaert and Jan van Scorel, which shaped his style by blending Northern European precision with Italian Renaissance aesthetics.

In 1525, Vermeyen became court painter to Margaret of Austria, governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, marking a significant turning point in his career. This position allowed him to create portraits of royal family members and gain recognition as a skilled portraitist. His talents soon attracted the attention of Emperor Charles V, leading to his appointment as an imperial artist in 1534. Notably, he accompanied the emperor during the Conquest of Tunis in 1535, an experience that greatly influenced his later works.

Vermeyen’s portraits are distinguished by their expressive quality and meticulous detail, capturing the essence of his subjects through eloquent gestures and vivid expressions. His involvement in Charles V’s campaigns resulted in a series of twelve tapestries commissioned by Mary of Hungary, which serve as both artistic masterpieces and historical documents.

In addition to painting, Vermeyen made significant contributions to printmaking, with around 20 etchings attributed to him. His etching style focused on half-figures depicted in close-up, emphasizing character and expression. Throughout his career, he evolved stylistically, reflecting both Northern and Italian Renaissance influences.

Spending his later years primarily in Brussels and Mechelen, Vermeyen continued to receive commissions for religious works and portraits until his death in Brussels in 1559. Although much of his work was lost during the iconoclastic fury of 1566, his surviving pieces and the influence he exerted on subsequent generations solidify his status as a significant figure in Northern Renaissance art. Vermeyen’s legacy lies not only in his artistic output but also in his role as a cultural bridge between Northern European and Italian Renaissance traditions.

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This wonderful portrait is dated 1534. According to the expertise based on the coat of arms in the upper right corner Vermeyen has painted here the well-known leader of the Anabaptists in the Netherlands before 1540, David Joris (1501 – 1556) alias Johann von Brügge. The painting is inscribed along the lower edge “VIVITVR INGENIO CETERA MORTIS ERVNT” (“Genius lives on, everything else is mortal”).
The work demonstrates the artist’s peculiar painting style but carries also the influence of the Italian Mannerists’ style of portraiture. The author shows deep interest in the model’s character. The man’s tense facial expression and soft shine in his eyes are very convincing. However, the master is mainly focused on conveying the texture of the man’s thick beard using light and shade, while colouring is of secondary importance. This silent figure is enlivened by gestures of his hands: while the man has one hand resting calmly on the skull, the other is pointing directly at the viewer with a mysterious but commanding gesture.
Such work is known as vanitas, highlighting the vanity and futility of life’s endeavours. The skull as a reminder of the certainty of death, and the omniscient gesture of the man in the painting inspire the viewer to reflect on the transience of life: just as a portrait is a mere reflection of a person who was once lived, so a skull is only a form of a head that was once alive.

When last offered for sale in 1987 (see Provenance) this painting was accompanied by the certificate of Dr. Max J. Friedländer, dated 18 March 1941, firmly attributing the work to Vermeyen.