Artwork
Portrait of Prince Willem IV (1711-51)
Portrait of Prince Willem IV (1711-51) is an ivory painting by the Rococo painting artist Maria Machteld van Sypesteyn. It dates from 1748 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1748, the miniature on ivory presents the ruler as the central figure, emphasizing his status through the formal genre of portraiture.
The artwork depicts William IV, Prince of Orange, who reigned as the hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands. As a portrait, the work serves to capture the likeness and presence of the prince during his lifetime. The subject is identified specifically as William IV, anchoring the piece in the history of the House of Orange.
Created in 1748, the miniature on ivory presents the ruler as the central figure, emphasizing his status through the formal genre of portraiture. The depiction focuses entirely on the individual, establishing his identity as the primary meaning of the work.
Technique & Style
Created in 1748 by Maria Machteld van Sypesteyn, this portrait of Prince Willem IV is executed in the miniature technique using ivory as both the support and primary material. The work measures 7.7 cm in height and 5.9 cm in width, reflecting the intimate scale characteristic of ivory portraiture from the period. Classified as a painting, the piece presents the subject through a formal portrait genre, relying on the artist's handling of the ivory surface to render the likeness of William IV, Prince of Orange.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of Prince Willem IV was created in 1748 by the artist Maria Machteld van Sypesteyn. Executed on ivory, this small-scale portrait work depicts William IV, Prince of Orange. The piece is currently held within the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is cataloged as part of the Nederlandsch Museum voor Geschiedenis en Kunst. Sources confirm the work's inception date as 1748, aligning with the artist's active period for ivory miniatures.
The portrait is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, historically associated with the Nederlandsch Museum voor Geschiedenis en Kunst. According to the Wikidata record, the work's location is the Rijksmuseum, where it remains part of the museum's holdings as a painted ivory portrait.
No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Legacy
Portrait of Prince Willem IV (1711-51), painted by Maria Machteld van Sypesteyn in 1748, exemplifies early Dutch portraiture on ivory and contributed to the visual documentation of the Dutch royal lineage. Its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum collection has ensured continued public access and scholarly attention to van Sypesteyn's work, reinforcing her reputation as a notable female artist of the 18th century. The painting's depiction of William IV, Prince of Orange, has been referenced in studies of Dutch portraiture and royal symbolism, underscoring its historical significance within the genre.
Overview
Created in 1748 by the Dutch artist Maria Machteld van Sypesteyn, this small, circular relief portrays William IV, Prince of Orange. Carved from a single piece of ivory, the work measures only a few centimeters across and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. Its intimate scale and luxurious material indicate a commission intended for a privileged audience.
Context
In the mid‑1700s, ivory was an exotic and costly material, often reserved for diplomatic gifts or elite portraiture. Van Sypesteyn’s choice of medium aligns with contemporary trends among the Dutch elite to commission personalized, portable likenesses that combined artistic skill with the prestige of rare substances.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Maria Machteld van Sypesteyn (1724–1774) was an artist, born in Haarlem.
