Artwork
Portrait of Frans Greenwood, Miniaturist, Glass Engraver and Poet in Dordrecht
Portrait of Frans Greenwood, Miniaturist, Glass Engraver and Poet in Dordrecht is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Aert Schouman. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created circa 1750, this oval portrait on copper presents Frans Greenwood, a noted Dordrecht miniaturist, glass engraver and poet.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
He is portrayed in a way that references his artistic trades and literary activity, emphasizing his role as a cultured craftsman in 18th‑century Holland.
The painting shows Frans Greenwood, a miniaturist, glass engraver and poet from Dordrecht. He is portrayed in a way that references his artistic trades and literary activity, emphasizing his role as a cultured craftsman in 18th‑century Holland. The work was created in 1750 on copper and later transferred to oil paint; its dimensions are 11 cm by 9.2 cm. It belongs to the Rijksmuseum collection and was previously owned by Arnoud van Halen and Michiel de Roode.
Technique & Style
The portrait is executed in oil paint on a copper support, a small-format panel measuring 11 cm in height by 9.2 cm in width. The use of copper as a ground, common in eighteenth-century Dutch cabinet pictures and miniatures, allowed for a smooth, enamel-like surface that supports fine, polished brushwork. The work is classified as a painting within the portrait genre, consistent with Schouman's practice of depicting fellow Dordrecht artists and craftsmen in an intimate, small-scale format suited to private viewing.
No information on the painting's current condition, conservation history, or specific stylistic handling beyond its medium and support is documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Aert Schouman created the portrait of Frans Greenwood in 1750. The work is an oil painting executed on a copper support, measuring 11 cm in height and 9.2 cm in width. It depicts the miniaturist, glass engraver, and poet Frans Greenwood, who was based in Dordrecht.
The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Historical records indicate that the work was previously owned by Arnoud van Halen and Michiel de Roode.
Context
The painting Portrait of Frans Greenwood, Miniaturist, Glass Engraver and Poet in Dordrecht, created by Aert Schouman in 1750, exemplifies 18th-century Dutch portraiture blending specialized trades in its subject depiction. It resides in the Rijksmuseum collection and was previously owned by Arnoud van Halen and Michiel de Roode. Schouman's focus on detailed trade portraiture reflects Enlightenment-era fascination with skilled artisans, situating this work within broader Dutch artistic engagement with professional identity and material culture.
Overview
Created circa 1750, this oval portrait on copper presents Frans Greenwood, a noted Dordrecht miniaturist, glass engraver and poet. Executed by Aert Schouman, a fellow Dutch artist renowned for his work in glass engraving, the image is framed in an elaborate gilt case that has been repeatedly polished, lending it a patinated sheen.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Aert Schouman or Aart Schouman (4 March 1710 – 5 July 1792) was an 18th-century painter, now better known as a glass engraver, from the Dutch Republic.
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