Barent Fabritius: Family Portrait of Willem van der Helm, Municipal architect of Leiden, with his Wife and their young Son (1656)

(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

A nice Dutch 17th century family portrait. Pictured is the official architect of the town of Leiden, Willem van der Helm. He designed several city gates for the town, and the courthouse for the Gravensteen (this is the building in the background). Also present on the painting is his first wife Belytgen Cornelisdr. van de Schelt and of their sons Leendert. The peaches and grapes on the table are fertility symbols. Notive also the persian carpet on the table. This is a typical Dutch thing. Persian carpets were considered to expensive to be put on the floor so instead they were put on the table. Painting from 1656.