Artwork
Portret van de predikant Hendrick de Cock te Ulrum, met zijn vrouw, en zeven andere portretten
Portret van de predikant Hendrick de Cock te Ulrum, met zijn vrouw, en zeven andere portretten is an oil painting by Kornelis Douwes Teenstra. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The depiction of a woman among the sitters is confirmed in the cataloguing of the work, situating the minister's wife as a named presence within the group.
The work is a group portrait centered on Hendrick de Cock, a minister ("predikant") based at Ulrum, accompanied by his wife, and joined by seven additional portrait subjects. As a multi-figure ensemble rendered in oil on panel, the painting functions as a commemorative record of a clerical figure and his immediate social circle rather than a single devotional or allegorical image. The depiction of a woman among the sitters is confirmed in the cataloguing of the work, situating the minister's wife as a named presence within the group.
The composition's meaning lies in its role as a documentary portrait of a Dutch Reformed clergyman and his associates, produced in 1834 during a period of religious ferment in the Netherlands associated with the Réveil movement, of which De Cock was a leading figure.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on a wooden panel, measuring 30.5 cm in height and 24 cm in width. It portrays a clergyman, Hendrick de Cock, alongside his wife and seven additional figures, forming a family-oriented portrait composition characteristic of early 19th-century Dutch genre painting. The brushwork and color handling reflect the academic realism practiced by the artist in the Netherlands during the 1830s, with fine attention to facial detail and drapery rendering.
History & Provenance
The work was created in 1834 by Kornelis Douwes Teenstra as an oil painting on panel. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located. The sources do not provide further details on the circumstances of its commission, intermediate owners, or acquisition history.
The painting measures 30.5 cm in height and 24 cm in width, and depicts a woman alongside the other portrait subjects referenced in its title.
Overview
Kornelis Douwes Teenstra’s oil painting from 1834 presents a group portrait comprising eight sitters arranged in two horizontal tiers. The central figures are the Ulrum minister Hendrick de Cock and his spouse, flanked by six additional individuals. Rendered in a restrained palette, the work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies early‑nineteenth‑century Dutch portraiture.
Context
The work belongs to a period when Dutch portraiture emphasized realism and moral clarity, often commissioned by local elites and clergy. Teenstra’s approach aligns with contemporary trends that favored sober composition over elaborate settings, reflecting broader cultural shifts toward modest representation in the post‑Napoleonic era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Kornelis Douwes Teenstra (1813–1873) was an artist, born in Oldehove.
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