Artwork
Portrait of Pierius Winsemius, Professor of Rhetoric and History in Franeker
Portrait of Pierius Winsemius, Professor of Rhetoric and History in Franeker is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jan Maurits Quinkhard. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays Pierius Winsemius, a professor of rhetoric and history at the University of Franeker, symbolizing scholarly achievement and academic authority in 18th‑century Dutch academia. Rendered in oil on copper, the work emphasizes intellectual distinction through its dignified composition and formal attire.
Technique & Style
5 cm in width and was created in 1750, reflecting the academic conventions of formal portraiture in the Dutch Republic.
The work is executed in oil paint on a copper support, a material choice typical of 18th-century portraiture that enabled fine detail and luminous surface rendering. The painting measures 11 cm in height by 8.5 cm in width and was created in 1750, reflecting the academic conventions of formal portraiture in the Dutch Republic. Its handling emphasizes precise brushwork that delineates facial features and fabric textures, while the formal composition presents the sitter in a dignified pose with controlled chiaroscuro, characteristic of Quinkhard’s style within the portrait genre.
Overview
Created circa 1750 by Dutch painter Jan Maurits Quinkhard, this oval portrait on copper depicts Pierius Winsemius, a professor of rhetoric and history at the University of Franeker. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and reflects the decorative sensibilities of the mid‑eighteenth‑century Rococo period.
History & Provenance
The portrait entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of its Dutch 18th‑century collection, where it remains displayed. Its attribution to Quinkhard is supported by stylistic analysis and documentation linking the artist to academic commissions during his later career.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Maurits Quinkhard (28 January 1688 – 11 November 1772) was an 18th-century painter and print designer from the Dutch Republic.
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