Artwork

Portrait of Johan Rudolf Thorbecke, Minister of State and Minister of the Interior

Portrait of Johan Rudolf Thorbecke, Minister of State and Minister of the Interior is an oil painting by the Realist artist Johan Heinrich Neuman. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

Created in 1852 by Johan Heinrich Neuman, the Portrait of Johan Rudolf Thorbecke is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The work measures 100 cm in height and 84 cm in width. Stylistically, it adheres to the portrait genre and captures the subject in a formal pose characterized by the hand-in-waistcoat gesture. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

History & Provenance

After its completion the painting entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains today.

The portrait was painted by Johan Heinrich Neuman in 1852, as indicated by the work’s inception date. Executed in oil on canvas, it depicts Johan Rudolf Thorbecke in a hand‑in‑waistcoat pose. The painting measures 100 cm in height and 84 cm in width.

After its completion the painting entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains today. No earlier owners or commission details are recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Johan Heinrich Neuman’s 1852 oil portrait presents Johan Rudolf Thorbecke, who served as Minister of State and Minister of the Interior. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies mid‑nineteenth‑century Dutch portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

Thorbecke is shown seated in a carved wooden chair, his hand resting on the armrest. A white waistcoat bears a gold‑medaled insignia, indicating his official rank, while a modest stack of papers on a nearby table alludes to his administrative duties.