Egbert Meeuwsz Cortenaer (1605-65). Vice admiral, admiralty of the Maas, Rotterdam

The portrait of Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer was painted in 1660 by Bartholomeus van der Helst, commissioned by the sitter’s family or associates within the Rotterdam Admiralty circle. It was executed in oil on panel and originally entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains on display. The work measures 68 cm in height and 59 cm in width, and depicts the vice admiral holding a baton, reflecting his naval rank.

The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is listed under the accession number SK-A-565. It was displayed in the 2019 exhibition "Rijksmuseum Masterpieces" and has been featured in a 2021 retrospective of Dutch Golden Age portraiture at the museum.

The critical reception of this work has been shaped by its status as a leading example of Dutch Golden Age portraiture, particularly in its portrayal of naval authority. Scholarship emphasizes its role within the broader context of 17th-century Dutch maritime art, reflecting the prominence of the admiralty of the Maas in Rotterdam. The painting is situated within the oeuvre of Bartholomeus van der Helst, a key figure in portraiture of the period, and is housed in the Rijksmuseum, anchoring its historical significance within Dutch cultural heritage.

Bartholomeus van der Helst painted this oil portrait in 1660, presenting Egbert Bartholomeusz Cortenaer, a senior naval officer of the Rotterdam Maas Admiralty. The work exemplifies the formal portrait conventions of the Dutch Golden Age, emphasizing status through attire and symbolic objects.