Artwork

Portrait of Jacob de Vos Jacobszoon (1803-1878). Amsterdam Art Collector and Owner of the Historical Gallery De Vos

Portrait of Jacob de Vos Jacobszoon (1803-1878). Amsterdam Art Collector and Owner of the Historical Gallery De Vos is an oil painting by the Realist artist Nicolaas Pieneman. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

Created in Amsterdam, the painting depicts the subject as an art collector and owner of the Historical Gallery De Vos.

Nicolaas Pieneman executed the portrait of Jacob de Vos Jacobszoon in 1860 using oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 140 cm in height and 104.5 cm in width, presenting a traditional portrait format. Created in Amsterdam, the painting depicts the subject as an art collector and owner of the Historical Gallery De Vos. The piece is classified as a portrait genre painting and is currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Jacob de Vos Jacobszoon was created in 1860 by the Dutch artist Nicolaas Pieneman. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work depicts the Amsterdam art collector and owner of the Historical Gallery De Vos. The painting was produced in Amsterdam and measures 140 cm in height by 104.5 cm in width.

The work is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. While the specific commission details are not detailed in the available records, the piece is firmly dated to the year 1860, coinciding with the subject's active period as a prominent collector in the mid-19th century.

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is inventoried as object number SK-C-2007.

It was first publicly shown in 1860, the year of its creation, and has remained in the museum’s holdings since its acquisition. No later exhibition history beyond its permanent display at the Rijksmuseum is recorded.

Overview

Nicolaas Pieneman’s 1860 oil portrait presents Jacob de Vos Jacobszoon, a prominent Amsterdam art collector and proprietor of the Historical Gallery De Vos. Rendered in a realist manner, the canvas captures the sitter in a contemplative pose, his gaze directed away from the viewer. The work now belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it is displayed among 19th‑century Dutch paintings.

Subject & Meaning

Jacob de Vos is shown wearing a dark coat and white cravat, his spectacles perched on his nose, and holding a rolled drawing or map that hints at his involvement with art and documentation. The subdued setting and his thoughtful expression suggest a man engaged in intellectual pursuits, reflecting the cultural role of a collector who curated and preserved visual heritage.

Context

The work belongs to a period when Dutch portraiture often highlighted the social standing and intellectual interests of the middle class. Pieneman, himself an active collector, shared his sitter’s passion for the arts, and the painting serves as a visual record of the network of collectors who shaped Amsterdam’s 19th‑century cultural scene.