🎨 Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen Painting a Portrait of His Wife, 1550 by Dirk Jacobsz 🇳🇱 oil on panel, 62.1 x 49.4 cm Toledo Museum of Art, USA About the artwork: In the painting, van Oostsanen is likely shown at work in his studio, a setting that would be meticulously detailed, showcasing the tools of his trade—paints, brushes, and perhaps other implements used in the art-making process of the 16th century. His wife would be depicted as both the subject of his painting and a significant presence within this work, emphasizing her role both within his life and as a muse.

🖼️ Witches' Sabbath, 1636 By Claes Jacobsz van der Heck 🇳🇱 Oil on oak, 57 x 97 cm. Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar, Netherlands This Baroque masterpiece captures a mystical scene of witches gathered for a secret sabbath. And here’s the intriguing part: in the 17th century, these images weren’t just art—they were a reflection of society’s deep-rooted fears and superstitions about witchcraft, morality, and the unknown, conveyed through dramatic contrasts and incredible details.

Artist of the day Maarten van Heemskerck or Marten Jacobsz Heemskerk van Veen (June 1, 1498 – October 1, 1574) was a Dutch portrait and religious painter. Shown below: “Saint Luke Painting the Virgin” (1532).