Portret van Justus Lipsius, humanist en hoogleraar te Leiden en Leuven BN 884

The scholar is depicted within an oval frame, wearing a fur-lined gown and a ruff, resting one hand on a book and the other on a small dog. The frame is surrounded by ornate Mannerist strapwork and fruit garlands, typical of the Haarlem style. Several Latin inscriptions provide his name, age, year of the portrait, and a philosophical motto.

Justus Lipsius was the founder of Neostoicism, a major intellectual movement that sought to reconcile classical Stoic ethics with Christian doctrine. His revival of Stoic principles, particularly the concept of 'constancy,' was foundational to early modern moral and political philosophy and influenced thinkers across the Western esoteric and humanist traditions.