Who painted Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral?

Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral was painted by Ferdinand Bol in 1667-01-01.

Where can I see Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral?

Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral?

Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral?

Museum-quality prints of Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Michiel de Ruyter as Lieutenant-Admiral by Ferdinand Bol (1667)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work was personally given by De Ruyter to that admiralty in 1667 and later entered the Rijksmuseum collection.

The painting shows Michiel de Ruyter in his role as lieutenant-admiral of the Dutch Republic, wearing admiral's uniform with a command staff in his right hand and a sword at his side. Around his neck he wears the collar of the Order of Sint-Michiel, awarded by Louis XIV in August 1666. His right arm rests on a celestial globe atop a table that holds navigation tools, including a map of Flanders and Zeeland where the island of Walcheren, De Ruyter's birthplace, is clearly visible.

In the background a seascape depicts his flagship De Zeven Provinciën at sunset. Originally five identical versions were created to commemorate the Four Days Battle and hung in the offices of the Dutch admiralties; four survive, including the Rijksmuseum version which came from the Admiralty of Zeeland. The work was personally given by De Ruyter to that admiralty in 1667 and later entered the Rijksmuseum collection.

Technique & Style

The painting is executed in oil on canvas and measures 157 cm in height by 138 cm in width.

Bol’s handling emphasizes the sitter’s authority through controlled chiaroscuro and smooth transitions, particularly in the modeling of the face and the starched ruff. The costume, admiral’s uniform, command baton, sash, and naval chart, receives more linear definition, while the globe and navigational instruments are rendered with crisp edges. The maritime background, attributed to Willem van de Velde (II), introduces atmospheric recession with a low horizon and a setting sun, reinforcing the portrait’s commemorative function.

The work remains in stable condition with no significant structural damage reported in modern condition records.

History & Provenance

Painted by Ferdinand Bol in 1667, this portrait was commissioned to commemorate the Four Days' Battle. Originally, five identical versions were produced for the offices of the Dutch Republic's Admiralties, with the landscape background potentially executed by Willem van de Velde (II). The specific version now held by the Rijksmuseum was personally gifted by Michiel de Ruyter to the Admiralty of Zeeland in Middelburg in 1667.

By 1795, the work was recorded in the office of the Department of Convoys and Licences in Vlissingen. It was subsequently donated in 1808 by the Departmental Council of Zeeland to the Koninklijk Museum in Amsterdam, the predecessor of the Rijksmuseum. The painting was later loaned to Het Scheepvaartmuseum before returning to its current location.

The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Originally commissioned for the Admiralty of Zeeland in Middelburg, the work was personally donated by Michiel de Ruyter in 1667. By 1795, it was recorded in the office of the Department of Convoys and Licences in Vlissingen before being transferred to the Koninklijk Museum, the Rijksmuseum's predecessor, by the Departmental Council of Zeeland in 1808. The artwork was subsequently loaned to the Het Scheepvaartmuseum for a period.

Regarding its exhibition history, the piece was displayed at the Rijksmuseum in the show De stadhouder-koning en zijn tijd 1650-1950, which ran from March 18 to May 29, 1950, where it was listed as catalogue number 126.

Context

The painting was created in 1667 as a tribute to the Dutch naval victory known as the Four Days Battle, and originally six identical versions were produced for the offices of the Dutch Republic's admiralties, each commemorating the event. Four of these versions survive, including the one now housed in the Rijksmuseum, which was originally commissioned by the Admiralty of Zeeland and later donated by de Ruyter himself. The work depicts Michiel de Ruyter in his capacity as lieutenant-admiral, wearing admiral's uniform, holding a command baton and sword, and displaying the chain of the Order of Saint Michael, awarded by Louis XIV in 1666.

A celestial globe and navigational instruments rest on a table beside him, with a detailed map highlighting the island of Walcheren visible on the surface. The background features a seascape with de Ruyter's flagship, the Zeven Provinciën, rendered in fading sunlight, and may have been partially executed by marine painter Willem van de Velde II. The Rijksmuseum version was recorded in 1795 in the Department of Convoys and Licences in Vlissingen before being acquired by the museum that would become the Rijksmuseum.

Overview

Ferdinand Bol’s 1667 oil on canvas portrays the Dutch admiral Michiel de Ruyter in a formal pose, flanked by maritime symbols and a seascape that includes his flagship De Zeven Provinciën. The composition balances portraiture with a detailed naval backdrop, emphasizing both personal authority and naval achievement.