The black lion tamarin and the mysterious man

During the MSG-3 Launch campaign, we had a chance to observe a Red Handed Tamarin in action! (no comment post dated June 10th, 2012).

Apparently this type of small apes were known in Europe as early as the XVIth century as proven by the detail of the painting below.

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen (Beverwijk ca 1500 - Brussels 1559),

Portrait of a man (detail 1), Museum Wallraf Richartz, Köln

The species represented next to the portrait seems to be a Black Lion Tamamarin (Leontopitheus Chysopygus), a small ape living in Brasil.

Coming back to the painting, one can wonder why this notable person wanted to be painted with a little ape and what was the meaning? Before investigating further, one can notice another detail that may be as odd as the first one: a little dog with its head and legs getting out of the fur collar coat. Was the guy simply a pet lover? No - this would be too simple. Had he connections with the Dutch outposts in South America? The Dutch Brazil will come roughly 100 years later…

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen (Beverwijk ca 1500 - Brussels 1559),

Portrait of a man (detail 2), Museum Wallraf Richartz, Köln

The full painting shows a man with a long face, his head covered with a flat hat. The guy is looking at us in a rather authoritative way with one finger pointing upwards. Would his clothing be characteristic of a dedicated corporation or job? Could the decoration on his chest provide any further clue? Certainly but expert support would be needed on this matter to be conclusive. About the two animals, the dog and the ape, we can say that there are frequently represented in painting from the Renaissance up to the XXth century. They are likely used here as symbols to emphasize the way this character wants to appear vis a vis the others.

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen (Beverwijk ca 1500 - Brussels 1559),

Portrait of a man, Museum Wallraf Richartz, Köln

If the dog in many civilisations is the symbol of the "guide" to pass borders (e.g. Egypt), it has also the meaning of protection (watch dog). The ape, may have several meaning as well depending on the context: witty, amusing, robbery... This Dutch or Flemish wealthy bourgeois who was portrayed by J. C. Vermeyen ca 1530 seems here to  tell us with not much humor:
-Be careful when you make business with me, I am not a nut but an important man.
There are are certainly other interpretations, Any other ideas?

Note: Any resemblance with existing shadow experts is purely coincidental :-)

Representation of apes in painting is a huge topic. Just few examples below:
-Frida Kahlo: Self portrait with monkey, 1938, 1940
-Van Dijk: Henrietta maria van Dijk
-Jean Simeon Chardin (1699-1779), Le singe peintre (ca 1740), Le singe antiquaire
-...