Artwork
Portrait of Willem Pottey, Lawyer and Accountant-General of Flushing
Portrait of Willem Pottey, Lawyer and Accountant-General of Flushing is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolaes Maes. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
History & Provenance
The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, alongside other Maes portraits such as those of Cornelis Munter and Marten Meulenaer.
The Portrait of Willem Pottey is a work by Nicolaes Maes dated to the final years of the artist's life, between about 1686 and 1693, during which he resided in Amsterdam and was recognized as a leading portrait painter. The painting depicts Willem Pottey, identified as a lawyer and Accountant-General of Flushing. While the specific date of commission or the identity of the original patron is not recorded in the available sources, the work belongs to Maes's mature period of society portraiture, which catered to the wealthy burghers of late 17th-century Amsterdam.
The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, alongside other Maes portraits such as those of Cornelis Munter and Marten Meulenaer. The sources do not provide an inventory number or exhibition record for the piece.
Context
Nicolaes Maes, a pupil of Rembrandt, was one of the most inventive Dutch genre painters of the mid-17th century before becoming a leading portraitist in Amsterdam during the final three decades of the century. His shift to portraiture around 1660 marked a stylistic change influenced by Flemish masters such as Anthony van Dyck, moving toward a lighter, more elegant style.
The portrait of Willem Pottey belongs to this mature Amsterdam period (c. 1686-1693), when Maes was highly sought-after as a portrait specialist. The work exemplifies the fashionable society portraiture that established his dominance in Amsterdam after the deaths of Bartholomeus van der Helst and others. His success in the genre is attested by the large number of portraits from the 1670s and 1680s and by his considerable estate at death.
Overview
Painted in 1690 by Nicolaes Maes, the Portrait of Willem Pottey depicts the lawyer and Accountant-General of Flushing in a formal half-length composition. The subject stands beside a stone column, wearing a dark coat that contrasts with the lighter background. His right hand rests firmly on a ledger, a direct reference to his professional duties, while his left hand gestures outward, suggesting the rhetorical confidence of a man accustomed to legal argument.
This work was created during Maes's mature period in Amsterdam, where he had established himself as the leading portrait painter of the final three decades of the 17th century. Originally executed as part of a pair, it is accompanied by a matching portrait of Pottey's wife. The painting reflects Maes's transition from his earlier genre scenes, influenced by his training under Rembrandt, to a refined portraiture style that emphasizes the sitter's status and character over ostentatious display.
The inclusion of the ledger and the dignified pose serve to document Pottey's civic role and personal integrity within the context of Dutch Golden Age portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
Pottey is shown beside a stone column, a common symbol of stability and status. His left hand rests on a ledger, subtly referencing his role as an accountant-general. With his right hand, he gestures outwards, suggesting he is mid-discourse, perhaps making a point as a lawyer.
The artist conveys a sense of quiet assurance rather than overt display of wealth, presenting Pottey as a composed and engaged individual.
Technique & Style
The artist, whose identity remains unconfirmed, rendered Willem Pottey with a subdued elegance. Dressed in a dark coat, Pottey's attire emphasizes his professional gravity rather than ostentatious display. The composition, featuring him standing next to a classical column, contributes to an impression of quiet dignity. This approach highlights the sitter's character and professional demeanor through understated visual cues.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaes Maes (January 1634 – December 1693; buried 24 December 1693) was a Dutch painter known for his genre scenes, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life.
