Artwork
Jan Willem Pieneman, Painter, Father of Nicolaas Pieneman
Jan Willem Pieneman, Painter, Father of Nicolaas Pieneman is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Nicolaas Pieneman. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1860, this portrait of Jan Willem Pieneman by his son Nicolaas Pieneman is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 136 cm in height and 101 cm in width, presenting a formal depiction of the sitter within the portrait genre. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
The work was created as a tribute to his father, Jan Willem Pieneman, who is depicted as the main subject of the composition.
The portrait of Jan Willem Pieneman was produced by Nicolaas Pieneman in 1860, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work was created as a tribute to his father, Jan Willem Pieneman, who is depicted as the main subject of the composition. Following its creation, the painting entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held.
The canvas measures 136 cm in height by 101 cm in width. As a portrait painted by a son honoring his father, the work reflects a personal commission within the Pieneman family, with no further documented changes in ownership between its completion and its accession by the Rijksmuseum.
Context
Nicolaas Pieneman painted this portrait of his father Jan Willem Pieneman in 1860, a work held by the Rijksmuseum that exemplifies 19th-century Dutch portraiture. The painting measures 136 cm by 101 cm and was created using oil paint on canvas, depicting Jan Willem Pieneman as the subject. Its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum collection underscores its significance within Dutch art history, while its genre as a portrait reflects contemporary artistic conventions of the period.
Scholarship on the work often contextualizes it within the broader Pieneman family legacy and the evolution of portraiture in the Netherlands.
Overview
The 1860 oil portrait depicts Jan Willem Pieneman, a noted Dutch painter, rendered by his son Nicolaas Pieneman. Executed in the Biedermeier aesthetic, the work presents the elder artist in a restrained, domestic setting. It is part of the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, representing a familial tribute within a 19th‑century Dutch artistic milieu.
Subject & Meaning
Jan Willem Pieneman appears in a brown coat, holding a cane in one hand and a sketchbook or portfolio in the other, his white‑collared shirt and neatly arranged dark hair emphasizing his professional identity. The serious expression and modest pose suggest a dignified yet intimate portrayal, highlighting the respect and personal connection between father and son.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaas Pieneman (Dutch pronunciation:; 1 January 1809 – 30 December 1860) was a Dutch painter, art collector, lithographer, and sculptor.
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