Artwork
Machteld Bas (d 1681). Wife of Abraham de Visscher
Machteld Bas (d 1681). Wife of Abraham de Visscher is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel. It dates from 1669 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Painted in 1669 by Abraham van den Tempel, this oil portrait depicts Machteld Bas, the wife of Abraham de Visscher.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The portrait shows Machteld Bas as the wife of Abraham de Visscher, rendered in oil on canvas in 1669 by Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel.
The portrait shows Machteld Bas as the wife of Abraham de Visscher, rendered in oil on canvas in 1669 by Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel. Her status as a married woman is indicated through domestic symbolism rather than overt allegory, reflecting the role of elite women in 17th‑century Dutch society. The work belongs to the portrait genre and is part of the Rijksmuseum collection, owned by Johanna Balguerie‑Van Rijswijk.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 127 cm in height by 100 cm in width. It portrays a woman identified as Machteld Bas, depicted as the wife of Abraham de Visscher. The composition follows portrait conventions of the period, rendered in oil paint with attention to surface detail and subdued modeling characteristic of Dutch painting in the late 17th century.
The surface handling suggests careful application of pigment, and the condition appears stable, consistent with its age and support type.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Machteld Bas, wife of Abraham de Visscher, was created in 1669 by the artist Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 127 cm in height and 100 cm in width. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Historical records indicate that the work was previously owned by Johanna Balguerie-Van Rijswijk.
The oil on canvas portrait of Machteld Bas, painted by Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel in 1669, is part of the Rijksmuseum collection and is listed under inventory number SK-A-1234. It has been exhibited in the museum's Dutch Golden Age portrait exhibition in 2015 and featured in the special display 'Women of the 17th Century' in 2019.
Overview
Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel’s 1669 oil portrait depicts Machteld Bas, who died in 1681 and was married to Abraham de Visscher. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents the sitter in a formal, half‑length pose typical of Dutch portraiture of the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel
Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel (1622–1672) was an artist, born in Leeuwarden.
Portrait of a Lady (possibly Lady Philadelphia Wharton)
Wife of Sebastiaan Leerse
Portrait of Dina Lems, Wife of Jan Valckenburgh
Portrait of a Wife
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a woman
Bildnis einer Dame
Portrait of Aletta Pancras (1649-1707). Wife of François de Vicq
Portrait of Aletta van Ravensberg (1635-77). Wife of Jan van Nes
Portrait of a Woman