Artwork
Govert van Slingelandt (1623-90), lord of Dubbeldam. With his first wife Christina van Beveren and their two sons

Govert van Slingelandt (1623-90), lord of Dubbeldam. With his first wife Christina van Beveren and their two sons is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Johannes Mytens. It dates from 1657 and is held in the collection of the Dordrechts Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of a tree within the scene serves as an iconographic element, likely evoking lineage, growth, and the family's rooted status.
This 1657 oil painting is a formal family portrait depicting Govert van Slingelandt, lord of Dubbeldam, alongside his first wife, Christina van Beveren, and their two sons. The inclusion of a tree within the scene serves as an iconographic element, likely evoking lineage, growth, and the family's rooted status. As a family portrait, the piece represents the social standing and continuity of the Van Slingelandt family in the mid-seventeenth century, capturing the patrons in a moment of domestic unity that underscores their aristocratic heritage.
Technique & Style
The portrait is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for mid-seventeenth-century Dutch portraiture, and measures approximately 100 cm in height by 86.5 cm in width. The work is classified as a painting within the genre of the family portrait, depicting Govert van Slingelandt, his first wife Christina van Beveren, and their two sons together in a single composition. The inclusion of a tree suggests an outdoor or landscape setting, a common device in Dutch portraiture of the period to frame the family group and convey status. The sources do not provide further detail on handling, brushwork, or condition.
History & Provenance
Johannes Mytens executed this family portrait in 1657 in the Netherlands, depicting Govert van Slingelandt, his first wife Christina van Beveren, and their two sons. The work was originally owned by the sitter, Govert van Slingelandt. Its later history includes tenure at the Dordrechts Museum and inclusion in the collections of the Stichting Nederlands Kunstbezit and the Dienst Verspreide Rijkscollecties.
During the Second World War the painting was held for the planned Fuhrermuseum before passing through the Munich Central Collecting Point. It is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Overview
Johannes Mytens, a Dutch Golden Age portraitist, completed this group oil painting in 1657. The work features Govert van Slingelandt, lord of Dubbeldam, alongside his first wife Christina van Beveren and their two sons. This family depiction exemplifies the artist's specialization in portraying elite subjects, capturing their likeness and social standing. The painting is a notable part of the Rijksmuseum's collection.
Context
Johannes Mytens was a prominent portraitist active in The Hague during the Dutch Golden Age. Trained by Anthony van Opstal and Nicolas van der Horst, he specialized in depicting the affluent members of society, catering to the rising merchant class and aristocracy. This work exemplifies his skill in capturing the refined image desired by his elite patrons, reflecting the artistic and social conventions of 17th-century Dutch portraiture.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johannes Mytens or Jan Mijtens, or "Mytens" to the English (c. 1614 – 24 December 1670) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, almost entirely as a portraitist. Mytens was born in The Hague. According to Houbraken, Johannes…















