Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588-1656)

• Was a Dutch painter of Flemish origin.
• Pickenoy was possibly a pupil of Cornelis van der Voort.
• He was the son of the Antwerp monumental mason Elias Claeszoon Pickenoy and Heijltje Laurens s'Jonge, who emigrated to Amsterdam before Nicolaes Pickenoy was born.

• In 1621, living near the Oude Kerk, he married Levijntje Bouwens.

• They had ten children.  

• Pickenoy painted large Schuttersstukken, group portraits of the regents of the orphanage, and individual portraits of local or national celebrities like Nicolaes Tulp, Cornelis de Graeff, Maarten Tromp and Jochem Swartenhont, Elisabeth Bas's husband.

• Besides portraits, he also painted a small number of biblical subjects.

• During the years 1631–1634 the latter was collaborating with Rembrandt van Rijn, who painted numerous portraits for Van Uylenburgh's art business.

• In 1639 Rembrandt returned to the neighbourhood as he bought the house next to Pickenoys, the present day Rembrandthuis. 

• Rembrandt could leave his house via an exit onto the Zwanenburgwal under the house of his neighbor Pickenoy.

• He brought out Night Watch—painted in his courtyard—rolled up through the tunnel.

• Like Rembrandt, Pickenoy was not able to bring up the loan and so after eight years he sold the house.

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