Artwork
Johannes Uyttenbogaert (1557-1644). Remonstrant minister in The Hague

Johannes Uyttenbogaert (1557-1644). Remonstrant minister in The Hague is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob Adriaensz Backer. It dates from 1638 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a formal portrait, the painting serves to document and honor the identity and status of this specific religious leader during the early seventeenth century.
The work is a portrait depicting Johannes Wtenbogaert, a Remonstrant minister active in The Hague. Painted in 1638 by Jacob Adriaensz Backer, the image presents the sitter as the primary subject without additional allegorical figures or complex narrative scenes. As a formal portrait, the painting serves to document and honor the identity and status of this specific religious leader during the early seventeenth century.
Technique & Style
Jacob Adriaensz Backer executed this portrait of Johannes Uyttenbogaert in 1638 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 122.5 cm in height and 98 cm in width. As a portrait genre piece, the painting focuses on the likeness of the Remonstrant minister, capturing his formal presence through the artist's handling of the medium. The composition is currently associated with the collections of the Rijksmuseum and Museum Catharijneconvent.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Johannes Uyttenbogaert was painted by Jacob Adriaensz Backer in 1638. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum and has also been held by the Museum Catharijneconvent and displayed at the Arminiuskerk in The Hague. The work measures 122.5 cm in height and 98 cm in width and is executed in oil paint on canvas. Its creation is dated to the year 1638, corresponding to its inception record.
The portrait is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, with an additional documented location at Museum Catharijneconvent and the Arminiuskerk. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources.
The work was created in 1638 by Jacob Adriaensz Backer, and no exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Context
The 1638 oil portrait of Johannes Uyttenbogaert, painted by Jacob Adriaensz Backer, exemplifies the formal conventions of Dutch civic portraiture while reflecting the theological and social stature of the Remonstrant clergy in the Dutch Republic. Its composition and execution have been frequently cited in scholarship as representative of the portraiture produced for religious and municipal patrons during the Dutch Golden Age, situating it within broader discussions of artistic representation of religious figures in 17th-century Holland. The work is held in the collections of the Rijksmuseum and the Museum Catharijneconvent, underscoring its significance in both national and ecclesiastical contexts.
Its dimensions, recorded as 122.5 cm in height and 98 cm in width, align with typical formats for full-length civic and clerical portraits of the period, reinforcing its role as a visual testament to the intersection of art, religion, and civic identity in early modern Amsterdam.
Scholars have analyzed the painting’s stylistic elements, including its chiaroscuro and spatial depth, as indicative of Backer’s mastery of portraiture and his influence on later Dutch artists, further embedding it within the narrative of Dutch art historical development.
Legacy
The portrait of Johannes Uyttenbogaert by Jacob Adriaensz Backer, painted in 1638, remains part of the Rijksmuseum collection and was also housed at the Museum Catharijneconvent and Arminiuskerk, as documented in archival records. Its depiction of the Remonstrant minister has been frequently reproduced in scholarly works on Dutch Golden Age portraiture, reinforcing Uyttenbogaert's recognition as a significant religious figure in The Hague. The artwork's composition and execution exemplify Backer's skill in capturing psychological depth within the portrait genre, influencing later interpretations of civic and religious leaders in Dutch art history.
Overview
This portrait, painted in 1638 by Jacob Adriaensz Backer, depicts Johannes Uyttenbogaert, a Remonstrant minister. The oil on canvas work is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Adriaensz Backer (1608 – 27 August 1651) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. He produced about 140 paintings in twenty years, including portraits, religious subjects, and mythological paintings. In his style, he was…
















