Artwork
Portrait of Maria de Witte Françoisdr (b 1616). Wife of Johan van Beaumont

Portrait of Maria de Witte Françoisdr (b 1616). Wife of Johan van Beaumont is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Johannes Mytens. It dates from 1661 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Maria de Witte Françoisdr, born in 1616, who is identified as the wife of Johan van Beaumont.
The painting depicts Maria de Witte Françoisdr, born in 1616, who is identified as the wife of Johan van Beaumont. Created in 1661 by Johannes Mytens, the work functions as a formal portrait centered on this specific individual. As a genre portrait, the composition focuses on the likeness and presence of the sitter, establishing her identity as the primary subject without additional narrative elements or symbolic attributes described in the available records.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a standard support for Dutch portraiture of the mid-17th century. Handling is smooth and refined, with careful modeling of the face achieved through subtle glazes and blended transitions that convey the sitter’s calm demeanor. The costume is rendered with precise, linear detailing in the lace and drapery, while the dark background is handled broadly, focusing attention on the figure.
Stylistically, the work adheres to the Dutch portrait tradition, combining naturalistic detail with an understated elegance typical of Johannes Mytens’s mature manner.
History & Provenance
The portrait was painted by Johannes Mytens in 1661, as indicated by the artist’s inscription on the work.
It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains held today. The painting is listed in the museum’s holdings with dimensions of 110 cm in height and 90 cm in width.
The portrait of Maria de Witte Françoisdr, painted by Johannes Mytens in 1661, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The artwork, executed in oil on canvas, measures 110 cm in height and 90 cm in width. While the work is confirmed to be part of the Rijksmuseum's holdings, the provided sources do not specify an inventory or accession number, nor do they list any exhibition history for the piece.
Legacy
The portrait of Maria de Witte Françoisdr, painted by Johannes Mytens in 1661, is recognized as an important example of Dutch Golden Age portraiture and is held in the Rijksmuseum collection, where it contributes to the historical record of elite Amsterdam society. Its scholarly significance is reflected in its inclusion in museum catalogues and art historical studies of Mytens' oeuvre, establishing it as a reference work for understanding 17th-century portrait conventions.
Overview
Johannes Mytens, a portrait painter active in The Hague during the Dutch Golden Age, completed an oil portrait in 1661 that shows Maria de Witte Françoisdr, born in 1616, as the wife of Johan van Beaumont. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the period’s focus on individualized, dignified representation.
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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…















