Artwork
Portrait of Mrs. Brak-Haskenhoff
Portrait of Mrs. Brak-Haskenhoff is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Cornelis Kruseman. It dates from 1818 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Painted in 1818 by Cornelis Kruseman, the work belongs to the portrait genre and depicts a single female figure in a frontal pose.
The subject of the painting is an unidentified woman whose name appears in the title as Mrs. Brak-Haskenhoff. Painted in 1818 by Cornelis Kruseman, the work belongs to the portrait genre and depicts a single female figure in a frontal pose. The sitter’s sober attire and composed demeanor align with the conventions of early nineteenth-century Dutch portraiture, emphasizing status and character over overt symbolism.
Without additional inscriptions or attributes, the painting’s meaning centers on the representation of an individual rather than an allegorical or narrative subject. Its restrained presentation suggests a focus on likeness and social identity within the context of the period.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, with the dimensions recorded as 77 cm in height and 61.5 cm in width. The handling reflects the refined academic approach typical of early 19th-century Dutch portraiture, characterized by smooth modeling of the sitter’s facial features and restrained brushwork. The composition centers on the half-length figure of Mrs. Brak-Haskenhoff, whose attire and poised posture align with the conventions of Dutch portrait painting from this period.
The subdued palette and careful attention to detail in rendering textures, such as fabric and skin, contribute to the work’s polished, lifelike presentation.
History & Provenance
The portrait was painted by Cornelis Kruseman in 1818, as indicated by the artist’s date and the work’s classification as a painting from that year.
It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located. The painting’s dimensions are recorded as 77 cm in height and 61.5 cm in width.
The Portrait of Mrs. Brak-Haskenhoff is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Created by Cornelis Kruseman in 1818, the oil-on-canvas painting is part of the museum's permanent holdings. Specific inventory or accession numbers for this work are not provided in the available sources.
Overview
Cornelis Kruseman’s 1818 oil portrait, titled Portrait of Mrs. Brak‑Haskenhoff, is held in the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The work exemplifies the early‑nineteenth‑century Dutch approach to intimate, domestic portraiture, aligning it with the broader Biedermeier tendency toward modest, personal subjects.
Context
Created during the Biedermeier period, the portrait reflects the era’s preference for modest, interior scenes over grand historical narratives. Kruseman, known for both portraiture and genre scenes, integrates this aesthetic by emphasizing the sitter’s personal demeanor within a simple, domestic setting.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Kruseman (Dutch pronunciation:; 25 September 1797 – 14 November 1857) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, etcher, lithographer, silhouettist, paper-cut artist, and art collector.
- Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of Elżbieta Pade (d. 1833), wife of Marcin
Portret van Isabella van Lutsenborgh, echtgenote van Jacobus Dumery
Portrait of Golitsyna
Portrait of Suzanna Maria Crommelin, Wife of Egbert Johannes Koch
Portrait of Mrs. Luboradzka /?/
Porträt der Nadezhda Ivanovna Dubovitskaya
Portrait of a Woman (Mrs. Ann Hivlyn)
Margaret Thomas, Lammas St, Carmarthen
Madame Gabriel Cotte
Portrait of Sara de Haan, Widow of the Amsterdam Underwriter Cornelis Hartsen
Portrait of Barbara Brodowicz