The painting is clearly a companion to BOLMG:2001.25.1; the two portraits are by the same hand, have the same background, identical iconography, and are mirror images in composition. Of special interest is the way in which the iconography contrasts the roles of man and wife. The burgomaster rests his left hand on the pommel of his sword, letting us know that he is fulfilling his duty as husband and protector. The burgomaster’s wife, on the other hand, holds a key in her right hand, showing us that the management of the household and its domestic affairs are her responsibility.

The painting may have been owned by a John Hall, Esq. In the catalogue for the opening exhibition of the Mere Hall Museum in 1890-91 we find: §No. 54 ‘The Burgomaster’s wife’ By Dahl. b. 1656 - d. 1743. Lent by John Hall, Esq., Chorley New Road.§ (Mere Hall Museum and Free Library Opening Exhibition. Catalogue of Paintings, Works from Public Galleries and From Private Collections., Bolton 1890). However, the attribution to Dahl is clearly wrong if this is the gallery painting, and difficult to see how it could be mistaken for a late 17th /early 18th century work. It is easy to see that these paintings could have passed into the Bromley dealership and thence to Hall i' th' Wood by 1902, but much harder to prove.

Details of costume, appropriate for a respectable, conservative, woman, help date the painting to about 1600-20. As to attribution, although the given title is intended to suggest Dutch origins and there are certainly similar portraits of Dutch nobles at this time, the detail of the armorials also follows English tradition, i.e. lozenge shield for a woman, the helmet indicating rank, so the sitters are equally likely to be British. Of the numerous Anglo-Dutch artists from this period, probably the most comparable in style would be either John de Critz the Elder, (about 1552-1642) or Paul Van Somer (1576-1621/2).

From the Hall I’ th’ Wood register: ‘Bromley’s’. It is easy to see that these paintings could have passed into the Bromley dealership and thence to Hall i' th' Wood by 1902, but much harder to prove.