"Pieter Verdonck (c.1580 – after 1636), was a man in Haarlem best known today for his portrait that was painted by Frans Hals in 1636.
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is known of him, though a Pieter Verdonck was recorded in the Reformed Church of Haarlem as coming from Ghent when he was engaged to be married in 1597 to Catharina Gelaynis of Vlissingen. He was probably a friend of Hals, who painted him in the guise of Samson holding the jawbone. Perhaps his friend was not amused, because the painting was later painted over to reflect a man holding a wine glass and his wild hair was covered by a velvet beret." - (en.wikipedia.org 03.01.2021)
