Artwork
Portrait of Hendrik, Prince of the Netherlands

Portrait of Hendrik, Prince of the Netherlands is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Nicolaas Pieneman. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a piece classified within the portrait genre, the composition focuses on the depiction of Hendrik, Prince of the Netherlands.
Executed in 1850 by Nicolaas Pieneman, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a wooden panel. The work measures 15 cm in height and 11.5 cm in width, indicating a small-scale format typical of intimate character studies rather than grand state portraits. As a piece classified within the portrait genre, the composition focuses on the depiction of Hendrik, Prince of the Netherlands.
The selection of panel as a support, combined with the oil medium, reflects traditional techniques employed by Dutch artists of the mid-nineteenth century for durable, fine-detail rendering. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
The portrait is held by the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands, which is listed as both its collection and its location. According to the Wikidata record for the work, it entered the museum's holdings as an oil-on-panel painting measuring 15 by 11.5 cm.
No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
The Portrait of Hendrik, Prince of the Netherlands is a mid-19th-century oil painting by Dutch artist Nicolaas Pieneman, created around 1850.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Prince Hendrik in a dark military uniform, standing on a ship's deck with a simple, muted background. The scene conveys a sense of informality, with the prince's hand resting on a barrel and papers on a nearby table.
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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.


















