St Elisabeth’s Hospital was a Haarlem charity run by governors (‘regents’ and ‘regentesses’). The hospital was located at Groot Heiligland, opposite today’s Frans Hals Museum. In 1641 Johannes Verspronck painted the regentesses’ portrait in his distinctive refined manner, regarded as appropriate for depicting women. It was his first major group portrait. He painted them sitting at a table, engaged in serious matters as they look up at the artist – or maybe at us.