Johannes Ryhiner (1728-1790), a manufacturer of Indian nectar and later mayor of Basel, and his wife Maria Ryhiner-Iselin (1734-1821) had portraits painted of themselves in domestic clothing: he smoking a pipe by the fireplace, she at her morning toilette. The private character of the portraits is further emphasized by the omission of any professional or office-related objects. Only the silver service on the dressing table in front of Maria Ryhiner-Iselin, which serves as a morning toilet, indicates the social status of the couple. The two candlesticks were probably made in Augsburg.
The Swabian painter Joseph Esperlin (1707-1775), who settled in Basel shortly before 1757, is considered one of the best and most famous Basel portraitists of his time.