Bartholomeus van der Helst - Portrait of Andries Bicker

Andries Bicker, a merchant in Russia and dealer in spices, wielded enormous administrative power. He was elected mayor of Amsterdam ten times, represented the city in the States-General, and served as ambassador to the Scandinavian nations, Poland and the Duchy of Brandenburg. When he sat to the celebrated Amsterdam portraitist Van der Helst, the Bickers were the most powerful family in the city.