Artwork
Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), Poet
Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), Poet is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Philips Koninck. It dates from 1665 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is a posthumous portrait of Joost van den Vondel (1587–1679), rendered as a bust within an oval frame.
About this work
Technique & Style
The handling reflects the warm tones and loose brushwork characteristic of his early training and association with Rembrandt's circle.
Created in 1665, Philips Koninck's portrait of Joost van den Vondel is an oil painting executed on canvas. While Koninck is primarily celebrated for his expansive landscape panoramas, this work demonstrates his proficiency in portraiture, a genre he approached with a style influenced by Rembrandt. The handling reflects the warm tones and loose brushwork characteristic of his early training and association with Rembrandt's circle. Unlike his panoramic landscapes which often divide the canvas equally between earth and sky, this portrait focuses on the likeness and vivacity of the sitter, qualities praised by contemporaries such as the poet himself. The painting stands as a rare example of Koninck's figurative work, distinct from his more frequent depictions of broad, sunny vistas seen from high perspectives.
History & Provenance
Philips Koninck executed the portrait of the poet Joost van den Vondel in 1665. The two men shared a long-standing friendship, with Koninck being one of the individuals who visited Vondel most frequently during the poet's final years. The artist produced multiple portraits and drawings of Vondel throughout their association, with the final likeness created shortly before Vondel's death in 1679. Vondel held the artist's work in high regard, composing several poems praising Koninck's paintings, including those depicting the poet himself. While specific details regarding the original commission or the subsequent ownership chain of the 1665 portrait are not provided in the available records, the work stands as a testament to their close personal and professional relationship during the Dutch Golden Age.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Philips Koninck (5 November 1619 – 4 October 1688), also spelled Philip de Koninck, was a Dutch landscape painter and younger brother of Jacob Koninck.
