This old man was one of the most sought after sitters by several painters working in Antwerp in the early 1620s, including Cornelis De Vos (1585-1651) and Van Dyck. The sitter himself was installed in his later years as the messenger of the Antwerp Guild of Painters. His rugged features obviously appealed to various painters, who utilised his image in many different paintings. Cornelis de Vos based his finished work, The Madonna with St. Luke of 1620, Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, on a preparatory sketch most probably done from life. This sketch was in the Schamp d’Aveschot sale Ghent, 14th September 1840, lot 73 and was last seen at the Le Roy d’Etiolles sale, Paris, Petit, 21st February, 1861, lot 186.

‍