Pieter van Ruijven had belonged to the Van Ruijvens, who had built up a large collection of paintings by Vermeer, three by Emanuel de Witte, four by Simon de Vlieger and one by Jan Porcellis. He is depicted as a predatory lecher in Tracy Chevalier's historical novel "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (1999), although there is absolutely no evidence of this. The 2003 film of the book also follows this characterization. Pieter van Ruijven Pieter Claesz. van Ruijven (Delft, 1624 – Delft, August 7, 1674) is best known as Johannes Vermeer's patron for the better part of the artist's career. Van Ruijven was
Pieter Verbrugghen I Pieter Verbrugghen I Pieter Verbrugghen I (alternative spellings: "Pieter Verbruggen I", "Peter van der Brugghen I", "Pieter van der Brugghen I", "Peter Verbrugghen I", "Peeter Verbrugghen I") (1615, Antwerp – 1686, Antwerp) was a Flemish sculptor from the Baroque. He was apprenticed in 1625 as a 'beeltsnijder' (sculptor) to Simon de Neef, who was an 'antijcsnijder' (ornamental sculptor). Later he worked under Erasmus Quellinus I and in 1641 he married his master’s daughter, Cornelia Quellinus. Through his marriage he became the brother in law of the leading Antwerp sculptor Artus Quellinus the Elder. He became master of the Antwerp Guild