Artwork
Portrait of a Collector
Portrait of a Collector is an oil painting by Arent de Gelder. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts the artist Arent de Gelder himself, functioning as a self-portrait rather than a generic image of a collector.
The work depicts the artist Arent de Gelder himself, functioning as a self-portrait rather than a generic image of a collector. The subject is shown holding or referencing an etching by Rembrandt, specifically identified as the Hundred Guilder Print. This inclusion serves as a direct iconographic link to de Gelder's primary artistic influence and mentor.
By portraying himself with this specific Rembrandt print, the painting symbolizes the artist's deep devotion to Rembrandt's legacy and his own identity as a follower of the master's style.
Technique & Style
Portrait of a Collector is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard combination for Dutch portraiture of the period. The canvas measures 79.5 cm in height by 64.5 cm in width, a vertical format suited to a half- or three-quarter-length seated figure. The work is classified as a painting, and its handling falls within the oil medium tradition associated with late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century Dutch practice.
Stylistically, the subject is rendered as a self-portrait, with the sitter depicted holding or referencing the Hundred Guilder Print, an etching by Rembrandt that functions as a programmatic attribute within the composition. The painting belongs to the Hermitage Museum collection, where its condition is maintained under museum stewardship, though no specific conservation notes are recorded in the available sources.
The portrait genre and the inclusion of a print as a self-referential motif suggest a reflective, introspective mode of presentation rather than a formal commissioned likeness.
Context
Arent de Gelder's Portrait of a Collector (1700) was catalogued in the Hermitage Museum's collection and featured in the exhibition Dutch masters from the Hermitage, situating it within the broader context of Dutch Golden Age portraiture and the artist's documented practice of self-representation. Scholarship notes the work's material specificity as oil paint on canvas measuring 79.5 cm by 64.5 cm, and its thematic link to the Hundred Guilder Print underscores its significance in de Gelder's oeuvre. The painting's provenance at the Hermitage highlights its role in preserving Dutch masterworks, reinforcing de Gelder's artistic dialogue with Rembrandt's legacy.
Legacy
Portrait of a Collector by Arent de Gelder, painted in 1700, has influenced later interpretations of Dutch portraiture through its technical mastery and thematic depth. The work is part of the Hermitage Museum's collection, where it has been featured in exhibitions highlighting Dutch masters, reinforcing its reputation as a significant example of late 17th-century portraiture. Its inclusion in scholarly discussions underscores its enduring legacy in art history, particularly in studies of Dutch Golden Age artists and their contributions to portrait painting.
The painting measures 79.5 cm by 64.5 cm and depicts Arent de Gelder in a self-referential composition, reflecting his engagement with contemporary artistic trends and his relationship with Rembrandt's circle.
Overview
Arent de Gelder, a Dutch painter active between 1645 and 1727, completed the oil painting Portrait of a Collector in the year 1700. The work is part of the collection of the State Hermitage Museum and exemplifies de Gelder’s continuation of the late‑Baroque style associated with his master, Rembrandt.
History & Provenance
After its creation in 1700, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains on display. Its provenance reflects the continued appreciation of de Gelder’s work as a direct descendant of Rembrandt’s workshop.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Aert de Gelder (Dutch:; October 26, 1645 – August 27, 1727) was a Dutch painter, the only Dutch artist to paint in the tradition of Rembrandt's late style into the 18th century.
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Portrait of an Oriental Man
Portrait of Hermanus Boerhave (1668-1738), professor of medecine at the university of Leiden, with his wife Maria Drolenvaux (1686-1746) and their daughter Johanna Maria (1712-91)
Christ before Caiphas
Holy Family
Den persiske kong Ahasverus giver Mordokaj ringen
Esther's toilet
Joseph Crying in his Chamber after Having Seen his Brother Benjamin Again
- Titus, the Artist's Son
Maleren Michael Gehrmann (?)
Maleren Michael Gehrmann (?)
Pipăitul
Stephanus Geeraerdts Alderman in Haarlem
Portrait of Herman Boerhaave (1688-1738)
Portrait of Ernest de Beveren, Lord of West-IJsselmonde and De Lindt
Autoportret
Self portrait
Portrait of a Man with a Watch
Bărbat cu pocal - Borgraful din Utrecht
Man with a halberd