Artwork
Mother and Child in Noord-Holland Costume
Mother and Child in Noord-Holland Costume is an oil painting by Jan Claesz.. It dates from 1601 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition highlights the figures without additional allegorical elements, emphasizing the cultural significance of local costume.
The work depicts a woman and a child, identified specifically by their attire as figures in Noord-Holland costume. As a portrait created in 1601, the painting functions primarily as a representation of regional identity and dress rather than conveying complex religious or mythological symbolism. The subjects are rendered in oil on panel, focusing on the visual documentation of the specific garments associated with the Holland region during the early seventeenth century. The composition highlights the figures without additional allegorical elements, emphasizing the cultural significance of local costume.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on wood panel, reflecting early 17th‑century Dutch portrait practice. Its formal composition centers on a mother and child clothed in regional attire, rendered with restrained brushwork and muted tonal modeling characteristic of the period. The handling of light emphasizes the intimate interaction, while the stylistic treatment of drapery and facial detail aligns with contemporary Amsterdam portrait conventions.
The surface condition is stable, showing only expected craquelure for its age, and the support remains original without later transfers or reinforcements.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1601 by Jan Claesz. It was made in Holland and originally belonged to Margaretha Catharina van Lennep before entering the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains today. The work is an oil paint on panel portrait depicting a child and a woman, measuring 107 cm in height and 77 cm in width.
The work is held in the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam. Its inventory number is not specified in the available sources. It has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum, including in the exhibition "Painting in the Dutch Golden Age" which showcased works from the museum's holdings of 17th-century Dutch paintings.
Overview
Jan Claesz., a Dutch painter active in Enkhuizen around the turn of the 17th century, executed an oil painting in 1601 that portrays a mother and her child in regional costume. The work is presently held by the Rijksmuseum and exemplifies the intimate domestic genre that was popular in the Dutch Republic during this period.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Claesz. (c. 1570 – 1618) was a painter from the Dutch Republic. Claesz was probably born in Enkhuizen, where he was active during the years 1594–1618.
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