Artist Info: Suster Bertken

Zuster Bertken ('Sister Bertken') (1426 - June 25, 1514) was a Dutch anchorite.

She was born the illegitimate daughter of the canon priest Jacob van Lichtenberg. Her life before her enclosure is unknown, but she was evidently given a good education. In 1456 or 1457, with permission bishop David of Burgundy she let herself be enclosed in a cell as an anchorite at the Buurkerk in Utrecht. According to the description of her life, she lived an extremely ascetic life even for an anchorite. [read more...]