Jan de Baen: The Syndics of the cloth hall in Leiden (1675)

(Museum Lakenhal, Leiden, The Netherlands)

Leiden was an important producer of woollen cloth fabric. To facilitate the sale and inspection of this fabric a large hall was constructed in 1641 - the 'Laeken-Halle' or Cloth-hall. Fabric was brought to the hall so it could be inspected and the quality be determined. After the fabric recieved the official approval and mark, the fabric was sold (80% of the fabric from Leiden was exported through Amsterdam). Responsible for the quality inspection of the fabric were the Syndics ('Staalmeesters' in Dutch). The men on this painting are the syndics of the cloth-hall of Leiden. Present on the painting, from left to right:

- Willem van Heemskerk
- a servant, standing with a glass and a hat
- Pieter Florisz. Wildeman
- Gomarus van Crayenbosch, standing with blue cloth in his hands
- Gerrit van Hoogmade

Rembrandt also made a portrait of a group of Syndics from Amsterdam: The Wardens of the Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild, (‘The Syndics’)

Painting from 1675.