Artwork
Portrait of Jan Gerritsz van Egmond van de Nijenburg (?-1523)
Portrait of Jan Gerritsz van Egmond van de Nijenburg (?-1523) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen. It dates from 1518 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The portrait, painted in oil in 1518, shows Jan Gerritsz van Egmond van de Nijenburg, a Dutch gentleman of the early sixteenth century.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work serves as a representation of the individual's status and faith, linking the physical likeness with these specific devotional attributes.
The painting depicts Jan Gerritsz van Egmond van de Nijenburg, a man identified as the main subject of the work. A significant element of the iconography is the inclusion of a prayer nut, an object held or referenced within the composition. This inclusion suggests a focus on the sitter's personal piety and religious devotion, characteristic of Northern Renaissance portraiture where such items often symbolized spiritual introspection and the hope for remembrance.
The work serves as a representation of the individual's status and faith, linking the physical likeness with these specific devotional attributes.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1518, this portrait by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen is an oil painting on a wooden panel. The work measures 42.4 cm in height and 32.8 cm in width. As a formal portrait, the composition focuses on the depiction of Jan Gerritsz van Egmond, who is shown holding a prayer nut.
The piece is classified within the genre of portraiture and is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen executed this oil-on-panel portrait in 1518. The work depicts Jan Gerritsz van Egmond van de Nijenburg, who died in 1523. The painting later entered the collection of Gebruder Douwes before becoming part of the holdings at the Rijksmuseum, where it is displayed in hall 0.6. It was subsequently included in the exhibition history under the title "Remember Me."
Overview
The portrait, painted in oil in 1518, shows Jan Gerritsz van Egmond van de Nijenburg, a Dutch gentleman of the early sixteenth century. He is rendered in a dark hat and a brown coat trimmed with fur, his gaze directed straight ahead. The background consists of a muted landscape of trees, a river and a building, rendered in subdued greens and browns.
Context
Van Oostsanen was a leading painter and woodcut designer in the Northern Netherlands, known for blending local traditions with the broader currents of the Renaissance. Portraits such as this one illustrate the period’s emerging interest in individualized representation and the use of personal devotional objects as status symbols.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen
Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (before 1470 – 1533) was a Northern Netherlandish designer of woodcuts and painter.
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