Coenraad van Beuningen (1622-1693) made a career for himself as a member of the city council and a diplomat at a Young age. In this portrait he is about 24 years old. Van Beuningen was the son of a merchant and ship owner. Like many future politicians he studied law at the University of Leiden. In 1660 he became a member of the ‘Vroedschap’, the governing council. He held many political positions and was elected burgomaster six times. Van Beuningen was the Dutch ambassador to Sweden, Denmark, England and France. After marrying in 1686, Van Beuningen retired from public life. During the last years of his life he became mentally ill, living as a recluse in his monumental house on the river Amstel.