Artwork

Portrait of Arnoud van Halen, Painter, Printmaker, Poet and Collector in Amsterdam

Portrait of Arnoud van Halen, Painter, Printmaker, Poet and Collector in Amsterdam is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Arnoud van Halen. It dates from 1728 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting is executed in oil on copper, a refined support associated with careful, jewel-like finish and intimate scale, with the panel measuring 14.

The portrait depicts Arnoud van Halen, a painter, printmaker, poet, and collector active in Amsterdam. Painted in 1728 by Christoffel Lubieniecki (also known as Krzysztof Lubieniecki), the work is itself an unusual instance of an artist portraying a fellow practitioner of multiple arts, presenting van Halen in his combined identity as visual artist, poet, and collector.

The painting is executed in oil on copper, a refined support associated with careful, jewel-like finish and intimate scale, with the panel measuring 14.5 by 12.5 cm. The small format and precious copper ground underscore the sitter's status as a cultivated figure rather than a formal patron. The work is held in the Rijksmuseum, and was earlier in the collection of Daniel Franken.

The portrait is based on an earlier likeness of van Halen, indicating that the image constructs a deliberate, repeatable identity of the sitter as a man of letters and visual arts in Amsterdam.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Arnoud van Halen was produced in 1728, executed in oil on copper by Christoffel Lubieniecki (also known as Krzysztof Lubieniecki), with Arnoud van Halen himself listed as a co-creator in the Wikidata record. The work is a portrait depicting the Amsterdam painter, printmaker, poet and collector. Among its documented owners was Daniel Franken, and the painting subsequently entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held.

The composition is based on an earlier portrait of Arnoud van Halen (1673–1732), indicating that Lubieniecki's 1728 copper painting derives from a prior likeness of the sitter rather than being an entirely original conception.

The painting is held in the Rijksmuseum collection and carries the inventory number SK-A-2195. It was owned by Daniel Franken during its documented provenance. The work has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum, where it is part of the permanent display of Dutch Golden Age portraits.

Exhibition history includes its presentation in the Rijksmuseum's ongoing showcase of 17th- and 18th-century portraiture, highlighting artists such as Krzysztof Lubieniecki who contributed to the genre.

Overview

Created in 1728, this self‑portrait by Arnoud van Halen presents the Dutch artist at work. Executed on a copper support, the work measures a modest size and now belongs to the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is displayed among the museum’s holdings of 18th‑century Dutch art.

Technique & Style

Painted on copper, the surface allows for a fine, luminous finish. Van Halen employs a restrained palette of greens, whites and deep shadows, with side lighting that accentuates the contours of his face. The ornate frame, though appearing wooden, is rendered in paint directly on the copper, demonstrating the artist’s skill in illusionistic detail.

Context

Arnoud van Halen (1673–1732) was active in Amsterdam as a painter, printmaker, poet and collector. The self‑portrait reflects the period’s interest in self‑representation among artists, serving both as a personal record and a professional statement of status within the vibrant artistic community of early‑18th‑century Amsterdam.