Artwork
Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (1735-1806), Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg
Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (1735-1806), Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg is an ivory painting by the Rococo painting artist Gerrit Kamphuysen. It dates from 1763 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This small oval portrait, carved in ivory, depicts Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg.
About this work
The background is a plain greenish color, and the whole image is framed in dark wood with a metal loop on top.
This small oval portrait shows a man in a dark blue coat with white fur trim and a star pin on his chest. His pale face has a slight smile, and he wears a black cravat. The background is a plain greenish color, and the whole image is framed in dark wood with a metal loop on top.
The painting is carved into ivory, which is rare for portraits. The artist signed it in the corner with the year 1763.
Look up Gerrit Kamphuysen to see more of his delicate ivory portraits.
Subject & Meaning
The miniature portrait shows Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg, rendered in ivory around 1763 by Gerrit Kamphuysen. The work belongs to the genre of miniature painting and is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection in Amsterdam, where it remains on display. Its small size and material emphasize the intimate, commemorative function typical of courtly portraiture in the late 18th century.
Technique & Style
Created in 1763 by Gerrit Kamphuysen, this work is a miniature painting executed on an ivory support. The piece measures 5.3 cm in height and 4.6 cm in width, reflecting the compact scale characteristic of the genre. Classified as a painting, the artwork relies on the smooth, durable surface of the ivory to achieve its formal qualities.
History & Provenance
The miniature portrait of Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was created by Gerrit Kamphuysen in 1763, executed in ivory as a small-scale painted likeness. According to the catalogue record, the work entered the holdings of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains held in the museum's collection. No further details regarding the original commissioner, intermediate owners, or chain of custody prior to the Rijksmuseum acquisition are documented in the available sources.
Overview
This small oval portrait, carved in ivory, depicts Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg. Created in 1763 by Gerrit Kamphuysen, it is now held at the Rijksmuseum.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Dutch artists in the 1700s often painted tiny portraits on ivory for keepsakes. Gerrit Kamphuysen made more than 50 of these, mostly small ovals worn as lockets or attached to snuffboxes. In the Gallery you’ll find…
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