Portret van een man, misschien een lid van de familie Collot d'Escury of van Rappard

The precise commissioning circumstances and the original ownership chain prior to its current location are not detailed in the available records.

The miniature portrait, executed on ivory, was created by Joseph Marinkelle in 1768. While the specific identity of the sitter remains uncertain, the work is tentatively identified as depicting a man who may be a member of the Collot d'Escury or van Rappard families. The precise commissioning circumstances and the original ownership chain prior to its current location are not detailed in the available records. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

The miniature is held by the Rijksmuseum, which is listed as both its collection and its location. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.

The work entered the Rijksmuseum collection as a painting on ivory by Joseph Marinkelle, dated 1768, but the provided records do not include details of acquisition, prior ownership, or any past exhibitions.

This small, circular portrait is carved in ivory and dated 1768. Created by Joseph Marinkelle, it depicts a man in formal attire, rendered with fine detail suited to the delicate medium. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies a niche genre of portraiture reserved for affluent patrons due to the cost and skill required to work ivory.

In the mid-18th century, ivory portraits were luxury items, often commissioned as personal keepsakes or gifts among elite circles. Unlike oil paintings, they were portable and intimate, favored for their tactile quality and rarity. Marinkelle’s work aligns with a tradition of miniature portraiture practiced by specialized artisans across Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and France.

This piece represents a fading practice: ivory portraiture declined with changing tastes and ethical concerns over material sourcing. Today, it survives as a quiet testament to the precision of 18th-century craftsmanship and the social rituals of elite self-representation. Its preservation in a major museum underscores its historical value as a material artifact rather than a celebrated artistic statement.