_Jacob Cornelissen_ (Dutch: about 1475-1555).
This painter was the master of Jan Schorel (720), and is
mentioned by Van Mander as a great artist. Most of his
altar-pieces for the churches of Holland perished during the
Reformation. He was also an engraver, and his woodcuts were as
much admired as the copperplates of his contemporary, Lucas
van Leyden. He had a son, Dirk, who was also a good painter,
especially of portraits.
Presumably a husband and wife--the donors, we may suppose, of an
altar-piece. Their patron saints attend them. St. Peter lays his hand
approvingly on the man's shoulder. The woman, as "the weaker vessel,"
seems to be supported by St. Paul. It should be noticed that in sacred
and legendary art these two saints are almost always introduced
together--St. Peter, with the keys, representing the church of the
converted Jews, St. Paul that of the Gentiles: his common attributes
are a book (denoting his Epistles), and a sword, signifying the manner
of his martyrdom, and being emblematic also of "the good fight" fought
by the faithful Christian with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God."