Artwork
Portrait of Jacob Cats (1577-1660)
Portrait of Jacob Cats (1577-1660) is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
This painting shows a man with a white beard and mustache, dressed in a dark shirt with a white lace collar.
This painting shows a man with a white beard and mustache, dressed in a dark shirt with a white lace collar. His hair is short and gray, and he’s looking straight ahead with a serious expression. The background is completely black, putting all focus on his face and shoulders.
The lace collar is a small but fancy detail, it looks expensive and carefully painted. This portrait was made in 1639, when men often wore this style of beard and collar.
If you like this kind of detailed portrait, look up chiaroscuro next.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Jacob Cats, a prominent Dutch statesman and poet, portrayed as an elderly man with white hair and a distinctive Van Dyke beard. Created in 1639 by Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt, the painting functions as a formal portrait capturing the sitter's dignified appearance in his later years. As a genre piece, the image serves to document the physical likeness of Cats, emphasizing his status through the careful rendering of his facial features and mature demeanor.
The composition focuses entirely on the individual, presenting him as a man of substance and experience without additional narrative elements or symbolic props.
Technique & Style
Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt executed the Portrait of Jacob Cats in 1639 using oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work functions as a formal portrait depicting the sitter with white hair and a Van Dyke beard. Stylistically, the painting adheres to the conventions of Dutch portraiture from the early seventeenth century, focusing on the realistic representation of the subject's features and status. The panel measures 67.1 cm in height and 57 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Portrait of Jacob Cats was painted in 1639 by Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt using oil on panel. The work measures 67.1 by 57 cm and shows the sitter with white hair and a Van Dyke beard.
It entered the collection of Adriaan van der Hoop and was subsequently accessioned by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inventory number SK-C-180), through the Adriaan van der Hoop bequest; it is also associated with the Amsterdam Museum collection. The painting remains on public display as part of the museum's permanent holdings.
Overview
Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt completed this oil painting in 1639, depicting Jacob Cats, a prominent figure of the Dutch Golden Age. Cats, known for his work as a poet, jurist, and politician, is presented as an elderly man. This artwork exemplifies the detailed portraiture prevalent during the 17th century in the Netherlands, a period of significant cultural and artistic flourishing. The painting is currently housed in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Context
Created during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, this portrait reflects a period of unparalleled artistic and cultural achievement in the Netherlands. Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt was a prolific and sought-after portraitist, capturing many notable figures of his time. The demand for such detailed and realistic depictions of individuals like Jacob Cats, who contributed significantly to Dutch society, underscores the era's appreciation for personal accomplishment and visual documentation.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Michiel Janszoon (abbr. Jansz.) van Mierevelt (Dutch pronunciation:; also spelled Miereveld or Miereveldt; 1 May 1566 – 27 June 1641) was a Dutch painter and draftsman of the Dutch Golden Age.
Jacob van Dalen (1570–1644), Called Vallensis
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Margaretha van Clootwijk (born about 1580/81, died 1662), Wife of Jacob van Dalen
Portrait of a Lady with a Ruff- Portrait of Jacob Cats (1577-1660)
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