Artwork
Sophia van Overmeer (1608-84). Wife of Adriaen van Persijn
Sophia van Overmeer (1608-84). Wife of Adriaen van Persijn is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Jansz. Westerbaen de Oude. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created around 1650, this oil portrait depicts Sophia van Overmeer, the spouse of the Dutch engraver Adriaen van Persijn.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Executed as a portrait in 1650, the painting presents the sitter in a manner consistent with the genre of portraiture from that period.
The work depicts Sophia van Overmeer (1608–1684), identified specifically as the wife of Adriaen van Persijn. Executed as a portrait in 1650, the painting presents the sitter in a manner consistent with the genre of portraiture from that period. The visual content focuses on the representation of the individual, establishing her identity through the inscription of her name and marital connection rather than through allegorical figures or complex narrative scenes.
As a single-figure portrait, the primary meaning of the composition lies in the documentation and commemoration of Sophia van Overmeer's person and social status at the time of its creation.
Technique & Style
The portrait was executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 68 centimeters in height and 57 centimeters in width. It belongs to the portrait genre and exemplifies the stylistic conventions of 17th-century Dutch portraiture, characterized by fine detail and naturalistic rendering. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection and has been displayed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam since its acquisition.
The painting's condition is stable, with no significant deterioration noted in the catalog records. Its formal qualities include a restrained palette, precise brushwork, and a composition that emphasizes the sitter's social standing through subtle gestures and attire.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Sophia van Overmeer is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work is cataloged as a painting by Jan Jansz. Westerbaen de Oude, created in 1650, and executed in oil paint on panel.
While the source confirms the museum location and the artwork's inception date, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Additionally, the available documentation does not record any exhibition history for this portrait.
Overview
Created around 1650, this oil portrait depicts Sophia van Overmeer, the spouse of the Dutch engraver Adriaen van Persijn. Executed by Jan Jansz. Westerbaen de Oude, the work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents a modest, seventeenth‑century Dutch lady in a restrained pose.
Context
During the mid‑1600s, Dutch portraiture often emphasized modesty and domestic virtue, reflecting the values of the burgeoning merchant class. The inclusion of a simple pearl and a coat of arms hints at the sitter’s respectable social standing while maintaining a restrained visual language.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Jansz. Westerbaen de Oude (1600–1686) was an artist, born in The Hague.
Digna de Maets. Wife of François Leydecker
Portrait of Digna de Maets (?-before 1667)
Portrait of a woman, thought to be Lucretia Boudaen
Portrait of Geertruijd Coenen (1635-1716)
Machteld Bas (d 1681). Wife of Abraham de Visscher
Portrait of a young woman
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of Gertrude Teding van Berkhout
Bildnis einer Dame
Portrait of a Seated Old Woman
Portrait of a Young Lady- Portrait of Aeltje Denijs (b. 1598/99), wife of Hendrick Wijnands and mother of Dionijs Wijnands