Artwork
Portrait of Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn (1585-1652). Wife of Jacob Cornelisz Banjaert, called van Neck

Portrait of Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn (1585-1652). Wife of Jacob Cornelisz Banjaert, called van Neck is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Cornelis Ketel. It dates from 1605 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Ketel’s handling emphasizes linear definition and planar modeling, using smooth, even brushwork to articulate the sitter’s features and costume.
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, with the support measuring 102 cm in height and 82 cm in width. Ketel’s handling emphasizes linear definition and planar modeling, using smooth, even brushwork to articulate the sitter’s features and costume. The composition is structured around a strict vertical axis, with Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn positioned centrally and framed by a dark background that isolates her silhouette.
Stylistically, the work aligns with Ketel’s mature manner, characterized by a restrained palette and a focus on clarity and dignity rather than elaborate detail or atmospheric effect.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn was created by the artist Cornelis Ketel in 1605. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 102 cm in height and 82 cm in width. The painting depicts the wife of Jacob Cornelisz Banjaert, also known as van Neck. Since its inception, the artwork has been part of the collection held by the Rijksmuseum.
Context
Cornelis Ketel painted this 1605 oil portrait of Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn, the wife of merchant Jacob Cornelisz Banjaert. Stored in the Rijksmuseum collection, it exemplifies early Dutch portraiture's focus on individual identity and social standing. While Ketel's career as a Haarlem-based painter is documented in archival records, his stylistic evolution within the broader context of Dutch Golden Age portraiture remains understudied, with limited scholarship addressing his influence on contemporaries like Frans Hals.
The work's dimensions, recorded as 102 cm by 82 cm, reflect standard formats for formal domestic portraits of the period.
Legacy
Portrait of Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn (1585-1652), painted by Cornelis Ketel in 1605, was later attributed to the Dutch Golden Age portraiture tradition. It entered the Rijksmuseum collection, where it remains on display in the Netherlands. The work influenced 17th-century portrait conventions through its formal composition and depiction of civic identity, as reflected in its inclusion in the museum's catalog. Its legacy persists in scholarly studies of Dutch portraiture and the artist's body of work.
Overview
This portrait, painted in 1605 by Cornelis Ketel, a versatile Dutch Mannerist artist, depicts Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn, the wife of Jacob Cornelisz Banjaert (van Neck). Executed in oil, it exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age's artistic traits.
Subject & Meaning
Griete Jacobsdr van Rhijn is portrayed seated, adorned in attire indicative of upper-class status: a dark, intricately designed dress, a white ruffled collar, and a gold chain symbolizing wealth. Her composed demeanor and the careful rendering of details reflect her social standing.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis or Cornelius Ketel (18 March 1548 – 8 August 1616) was a Dutch Mannerist painter, active in Elizabethan London from 1573 to 1581, and in Amsterdam till his death.














