BALEN, HENDRICK VAN (I)
Inv#.Lot270.0079
Artist NameHendrick van Balen
Authority NameBALEN, HENDRICK VAN (I)
Artist ActiveAntwerp |a 1592-1632
Verbatim EntryNo.7 een Adam en Eva van Hendrick van Balen f 183:--:--
TitleAdam en Eva
Montias SubjectOLD TESTAMENT
Object Typepainting
Value183 |t gulden
Buyerd'heer bewindhebber Bicker [crossed out: d'heer generael Specx]
Buyer FamilyBicker, Cornelis
Buyer NotesCornelis Bicker was baptized in the O.K. in Amsterdam on 25 October 1592 and died on 15 September 1654. He was lord of Swieten. As a merchant, he was associated with Jacob Romboutsz. and Jan de Marez (de jonge) (of R 27426), and was a director of the West Indische Compagnie since 1622. He was fairly wealthy (paying 250 f. tax in 1631). He also invested in trading partnerships with his brothers Jan and Andries Bicker and with Geurt Dircksz. van Beuningen (of R 23334) (Van Dillen, Van rijkdom en regenten, 1970, p.324). He became schout in 1622, master of the Orphan Chamber in 1636 and burgomaster in 1646 (Elias, Vroedschap, p. 175 and Wagenaar, Amsterdam, vol. 2, p. 380). On 31 July 1617, Cornelis Bicker was betrothed to Aertge Witsen, the daughter of burgomaster Gerrit Jacob Witsen and Grietge Appelman (DTB 432/274). She was baptized in the O.K. on 23 June 1599 and buried on 9 November 1652 (Elias, ibid.) In 1654, the year of his death, Cornelis Bicker was portrayed by Govaert Flinck in a portrait preserved in Amsterdam's Historisch Museum (Blankert, Amsterdams Historisch Museum, p. 120-1). Maria Bicker van Swieten, the daughter of Cornelis Bicker and of Aertge Witsen, was betrothed to Gerbrand Ornea, a rich iron dealer on the Heerengracht, on 8 June 1651. Maria Bicker was buried on 11 February 1653 (Elias, op.cit. p.160). (Jacques) Specx, whose name as a buyer was crossed out (and occurs nowhere else as a buyer of works of art), was a very rich merchant and director of the V.O.C. He lived from 1589 to 1652. He married Maria Odilia Buys in 1628 and remarried after her death (after 1651). His death inventory of 13 January 1653 included several paintings by Rembrandt (Strauss, Rembrandt Documents, p. 297). It appears from a document dated 31 August 1615, that Jacques Specx named Joannes Specx and a daughter Maria Specx who married Bartolomeus Jacobsz. de Gruyter (NA 1114, fol. 269-275).
Buyer OccupationReformed
Montias2 Record8161

Source Information  

ArchiveGemeentearchief Amsterdam
Call NumberWK 5073/962
TypeOrphan Chamber
Inventory Number270
Lot Number0079
Inventory Date1637/09/30
Owner NameMaerlen, Johan van
Purposeauction sale for the benefit of owners' orphan heirs