Artwork

Portrait of Pieter Meijer, publisher and bookseller of Amsterdam

Portrait of Pieter Meijer, publisher and bookseller of Amsterdam is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Hendrik Pothoven. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows Pieter Meijer, a prominent Amsterdam publisher and bookseller, rendered in a straightforward portrait style that emphasizes his status within the city's commercial elite. Pothoven's careful rendering of attire and the sitter's dignified pose signal his role as a cultural patron and purveyor of literature, linking the portrait to the broader 18th‑century Dutch tradition of celebrating civic and intellectual figures. The work's composition, with its muted background and focused lighting, underscores the subject's professional identity rather than personal narrative, suggesting a representation of economic authority and scholarly influence.

Technique & Style

The portrait of Pieter Meijer was painted by Hendrik Pothoven in 1750 using oil paint on canvas, as documented by the Rijksmuseum collection records.

The portrait of Pieter Meijer was painted by Hendrik Pothoven in 1750 using oil paint on canvas, as documented by the Rijksmuseum collection records. The work measures 38.7 cm in height and 34.7 cm in width, reflecting the dimensions recorded for the canvas support. Executed in the portrait genre, the painting depicts the Amsterdam publisher and bookseller in a style characteristic of mid-18th century Dutch portraiture, emphasizing fine detail and formal composition. The artwork remains in the Rijksmuseum's collection, maintaining its original handling and structural integrity.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Pieter Meijer was painted by Hendrik Pothoven in 1750, executed in oil on canvas. The work was held by Gerardina Meijer Warnars, indicating it remained within the sitter's own family after his death before entering a public collection. It is now part of the holdings of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently located.

Hendrik Pothoven painted Portrait of Pieter Meijer, publisher and bookseller of Amsterdam in 1750. The work measures 38.7 cm by 34.7 cm and is an oil painting on canvas. It entered the collection of Gerardina Meijer Warnars and is now held at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The painting has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum and featured in exhibitions on Dutch portraiture.

Legacy

The portrait of Pieter Meijer was created by Hendrik Pothoven in 1750 and remains part of the Rijksmuseum's collection, where it is cataloged as a painting of the Amsterdam publisher and bookseller. Its attribution to Pothoven and inclusion in the museum's holdings underscore its historical significance within Dutch portraiture, though specific later influences or receptions are not detailed in the available records. The work's provenance, including ownership by Gerardina Meijer Warnars, contributes to its documented legacy within institutional archives.

Overview

Hendrik Pothoven, an 18th‑century Dutch painter, executed this oil portrait of Pieter Meijer, a leading Amsterdam publisher and bookseller, around 1750. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the Rococo aesthetic that prevailed in the Netherlands during the mid‑1700s.

Context

In the mid‑18th century Amsterdam, publishing was a thriving enterprise linked to the city’s commercial and intellectual expansion. Portraits such as this served both as personal commemoration and as visual affirmation of a client’s cultural influence, situating Meijer within the broader network of Enlightenment‑era book production.