Artwork

Portrait of Barend Hakvoort (1652-1735), bookseller, church reader and catechism master in Zwolle

Portrait of Barend Hakvoort (1652-1735), bookseller, church reader and catechism master in Zwolle is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrick ten Oever. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The subdued palette and restrained brushwork align with Dutch portrait conventions of the period, conveying quiet dignity without overt display.

The portrait is painted in oil on canvas, executed in 1686 by Hendrick ten Oever. The handling emphasizes naturalistic detail, with careful modeling of facial features and the soft fall of the sitter’s collar and cuffs. The composition is arranged frontally, focusing attention on Hakvoort’s face and hands, which rest on a table surface.

The subdued palette and restrained brushwork align with Dutch portrait conventions of the period, conveying quiet dignity without overt display.

The condition appears stable; the canvas support measures 65.5 cm in height and 55.5 cm in width, with no noted structural or pictorial damages in the recorded data.

History & Provenance

Hendrick ten Oever executed this oil-on-canvas portrait of the Zwolle bookseller and catechism master Barend Hakvoort in 1686. The work measures 65.5 by 55.5 centimeters. While specific details regarding the original commission or the immediate ownership chain following the sitter's death are not provided in the available records, the painting is currently held within the Dutch national collection.

It is managed by the Rijksmuseum's dispersed collections service and has been associated with institutions including the Museum Catharijneconvent and the Stedelijk Museum Zwolle.

The portrait is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under inventory number SK-C-1731.

It was included in the exhibition “Meesters van de Gouden Eeuw: Hendrick ten Oever (1639–1690)” at Museum Catharijneconvent, Stedelijk Museum Zwolle, and the Rijksmuseum, 2019–2020.

Overview

This oil painting, created in 1694 by Hendrick ten Oever, is a portrait of Barend Hakvoort, a prominent figure in Zwolle. It is currently held at the Rijksmuseum.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait depicts Barend Hakvoort, a bookseller, church reader, and catechism master, conveying a sense of seriousness and calm authority through his facial expression and attire.

Context

The dark background, suggestive of a bookshelf with stacked volumes, alludes to Hakvoort's profession as a bookseller, adding a layer of depth to the portrait's meaning.