Who painted Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout?

Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout was painted by Andries van den Berg in 1883-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout?

Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout?

Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout by Andries van den Berg (1883)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Elout’s right hand points to an open book, beneath which lies another volume titled Grondwet, referencing his role in the 1814–1815 Constitutional Commission.

The portrait depicts Cornelis Theodorus Elout (1767–1841), a Dutch colonial official who served as commissioner-general in the Dutch East Indies from 1816 to 1819. He is shown in full regalia: a white cashmere pantaloon and a dark-blue frock coat adorned with gold embroidery of oak branches interwoven with laurel, along with gilt buttons bearing a crowned "W." His attire also includes the sash and star of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

Elout’s right hand points to an open book, beneath which lies another volume titled Grondwet, referencing his role in the 1814–1815 Constitutional Commission. Below the books rests a 1818 resolution on the abolition of slavery, underscoring his involvement in that policy. His left hand rests on the hilt of a sword, while the upper right corner displays the Elout family coat of arms.

Executed around 1883, the painting was commissioned for the governors-general portrait gallery in Batavia and later transferred to the Rijksmuseum in 1950.

History & Provenance

Andries van den Berg created the Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout in 1883, more than forty years after the sitter's death in 1841. The painting was commissioned specifically for the governors-general portrait gallery located at Palace Rijswijk in Batavia. It was not painted from life but is based on earlier portraits by Charles Howard Hodges and L.A. Vincent.

The work bears the signature 'A. v.d. Berg ft.' in the lower right corner and is dated by the Rijksmuseum to around 1883. In January 1950, this portrait, along with 66 others from the same series, was transferred from Batavia to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

The painting is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. According to the museum’s records, it was created for the portrait gallery of governors‑generals in the Rijswijk palace in Batavia and, together with the rest of that series, was moved to the Rijksmuseum in January 1950. No inventory or accession number is publicly provided in the sources, and the sources do not record any exhibition history for the work.

Context

The portrait was produced decades after Elout’s death as part of a series of governors-general likenesses commissioned for the gallery in Batavia’s paleis Rijswijk, aligning it with Dutch colonial portraiture traditions of the late nineteenth century.

Its iconography, Elout’s ceremonial costume, insignia of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, and reference books including one titled Grondwet, positions the work within the official portraiture genre that commemorated colonial administrators and their policy contributions, notably Elout’s role in the 1814–1815 constitutional committee and the 1818 resolution on slavery abolition.

Based on earlier likenesses by Charles Howard Hodges and L.A. Vincent, the painting reflects the conservative academic practice of the time, when historical accuracy and emblematic detail were central to legitimizing colonial authority through portraiture.

Overview

Andries van den Berg's Portrait of Cornelis Theodorus Elout is an 1892 oil painting depicting its eponymous subject in formal attire, conveying authority and refinement.

Technique & Style

While specific technical details of the painting's execution are not highlighted, the use of a dark background serves to emphasize Elout's meticulously rendered, symbol-laden attire, characteristic of late 19th-century portrait conventions.

Legacy

The portrait's legacy is not extensively detailed, but as part of the Rijksmuseum's holdings, it contributes to the historical record of Dutch portraiture in the late 19th century and the oeuvre of Andries van den Berg.