Pieter van Ruijven

Pieter Claeszoon van Ruijven (December 1624 – 7 August 1674) has been known as Johannes Vermeer's main patron for the better part of the artist's career, but in 2023 his wife Maria de Knuijt was identified by the curators of the 2023 exhibition of Vermeer's works at the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam as the main patron due to her long-standing and supportive relationship with the artist.

In 1669, he became the Lord of Spalant when he purchased land owned by Willem, Baron van Renesse.

[10] Van Ruijven became the Lord of Spalant[11] when he purchased the land from Willem, Baron of Renesse on 11 April 1669.

[13] The van Ruijven family, who lived off the Oude Canal in Delft, were members of the Arminian party in the Dutch Reformed Church.

[2] Baptism records at the Old Church identify two additional children of Van Ruijven and his wife, Maria baptized in 1657 and Simon in 1662.

[14] Besides the Vermeer paintings passed down through the family, Magdalena's estate included her legacy of a house in Voorstraet, the domain of Spalant, and interest-bearing obligations.

[17] In 2023, his wife Maria de Knuijt was identified by the curators of the 2023 exhibition of Vermeer's works at the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam as the main patron due to her long-standing and supportive relationship with the artist.

[18] Regardless of whether he or his wife was the main patron, van Ruijven was a serious art collector[11] who admired Vermeer.

[21] Van Ruijven is depicted as a predatory lecher in Tracy Chevalier's historical novel Girl with a Pearl Earring (1999), and in the 2003 film of the book, although there is no evidence of this.