Artwork

Portrait of Johan Philip van der Kellen (1831-1906). Director of the Rijksprentenkabinet (1876-96)

Jan Veth , 1904

Portrait of Johan Philip van der Kellen (1831-1906). Director of the Rijksprentenkabinet (1876-96) is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Jan Veth. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The portrait shows Johan Philip van der Kellen in formal attire, rendered by Jan Veth in 1904 as an oil painting on canvas. It belongs to the portrait genre and is housed in the Rijksmuseum's collection in Amsterdam. The composition emphasizes the sitter's dignified presence, reflecting his role as director of the Rijksprentenkabinet during the late 19th century.

Technique & Style

The portrait is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard combination for formal portraiture of the period.

The portrait is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard combination for formal portraiture of the period. According to the catalogue record, the work measures 65 cm in height by 56 cm in width, giving it a modestly upright format suited to a half- or three-quarter-length seated composition. It is classified as a painting and falls within the portrait genre, depicting Johan Philip van der Kellen.

The medium and support are consistent with Jan Veth's broader practice of producing carefully modeled oil portraits on canvas for Dutch institutional figures around the turn of the twentieth century.

History & Provenance

Jan Veth created the oil painting Portrait of Johan Philip van der Kellen in 1904. The work depicts the director of the Rijksprentenkabinet and was executed on canvas. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands.

No specific details regarding the commissioning party or the precise sequence of ownership prior to its arrival at the Rijksmuseum are provided in the available records.

The oil painting Portrait of Johan Philip van der Kellen (1831-1906), painted by Jan Veth in 1904, is part of the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam. It is catalogued under the Rijksmuseum's inventory system with the accession number SK-A-2161. The work has been exhibited in the museum's historical displays, including a presentation of Dutch portraiture, though specific exhibition dates are not detailed in the source material.

Overview

Jan Veth’s 1904 oil portrait presents Johan Philip van der Kellen, the former director of the Rijksprentenkababet, at an advanced age. The composition isolates the sitter against a warm, unadorned backdrop, directing attention to his dignified demeanor and formal attire. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies Veth’s engagement with early‑20th‑century portrait conventions.

Context

At the turn of the twentieth century, Dutch portraiture was transitioning from academic rigidity toward more fluid, impressionistic treatments of light and texture. Veth’s portrait reflects this shift, integrating contemporary stylistic tendencies while preserving the formal gravitas appropriate for a senior cultural administrator.