Artwork

Double portrait of prince Willem I van Oranje- Nassau (1772-1843) and Ludwig Ferdinand van Pruisen (1772-1806)

Double portrait of prince Willem I van Oranje- Nassau (1772-1843) and Ludwig Ferdinand van Pruisen (1772-1806) is an oil painting by Pieter le Sage. It dates from 1797 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work functions as both a personal likeness and a statement of alliance between the Dutch and Prussian houses.

The painting shows two young princes, William I of the Netherlands and his brother Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia, rendered in formal 18th-century portraiture on ivory. Their matching attire and composed poses suggest a diplomatic presentation, while the shared setting underscores their familial connection and political significance. The work functions as both a personal likeness and a statement of alliance between the Dutch and Prussian houses.

Technique & Style

Created in 1793 by Pieter le Sage, this double portrait is executed on an ivory support using oil paint. The work measures 8.5 cm in both height and width, resulting in a square format typical for miniature portraiture. As a painting classified within the portrait genre, the artist applied oil pigments directly onto the small ivory panel to depict Prince Willem I van Oranje-Nassau and Ludwig Ferdinand van Pruisen.

The combination of oil paint and ivory reflects the specific material constraints and techniques of late 18th-century Dutch miniature painting.

History & Provenance

The double portrait was painted in 1793 by Pieter le Sage in the Netherlands, as indicated by its Dutch origin and the artist’s known activity there. The work’s small dimensions (8.5 × 8.5 cm) and ivory support align with the intimate scale and materials favored for personal portraiture in the late eighteenth century. The painting depicts Prince Willem I of the Netherlands and Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia, both born in 1772, reinforcing a dating to the early 1790s when such alliances were politically salient.

By the early twentieth century, the portrait had entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains housed. Its presence in a national collection suggests acquisition through public or private donation rather than direct commission by the sitters.

Overview

Pieter le Sage’s 1797 double portrait presents Prince Willem I of Orange‑Nassau alongside his contemporary Ludwig Ferdinand of Prussia. Executed on a small oval sheet of ivory, the work measures only a few centimeters across, yet it captures the two figures in formal military attire with meticulous detail. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Context

The work belongs to a period when miniature portraiture on exotic supports such as ivory was fashionable among the aristocracy. Le Sage, known for his precise small portraits, often rendered military figures, aligning with contemporary tastes for commemorating status and alliances through refined, portable artworks.