Portret van Cornelis van Beresteyn, geboren Amsterdam 1517, overleden Haarlem 1595, Inventarisnummer NL-HlmNHA 53013578

This bust-length portrait shows an elderly man with balding hair, a gray beard, and a white ruff collar. He is dressed in a dark, buttoned doublet and is framed by a simple architectural border. Below the figure is a memorial inscription and a coat of arms featuring a seated bear.

Cornelis van Beresteyn was a prominent Dutch regent and 'amator' (lover) of the arts who supported the intellectual and artistic community of Haarlem. The artist, Hendrick Goltzius, was a central figure in Northern Mannerism and produced numerous works with alchemical and mythological themes; this portrait records the patronage network that sustained his practice.