Artwork

Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen (1608-1676), with his wife and their twelve children

Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen (1608-1676), with his wife and their twelve children is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter van Anraedt. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen and his wife, Susanna van Uffelen, who are depicted alongside their twelve children.

Painted in 1655 by Pieter van Anraedt, this large-scale oil on canvas functions as a comprehensive family group portrait. The composition centers on the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen and his wife, Susanna van Uffelen, who are depicted alongside their twelve children. Among the offspring identified in the work is Ferdinand van Collen.

As a genre piece, the painting serves as a visual record of the van Collen lineage, emphasizing the prosperity and continuity of a prominent merchant family during the Dutch Golden Age. The inclusion of the entire brood within a single frame underscores the social importance of familial unity and dynastic legacy in seventeenth-century Amsterdam society.

Technique & Style

Created in 1655, this group portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 107 cm in height and 155 cm in width, presenting a formal family composition typical of the genre. As a product of Pieter van Anraedt's practice, the painting depicts the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen, his wife, and their children within a structured arrangement. The medium and dimensions reflect standard Dutch Golden Age portraiture practices of the mid-seventeenth century.

History & Provenance

Created in 1655, this oil-on-canvas family portrait was executed by the Dutch artist Pieter van Anraedt. The work depicts the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen, his wife, and their twelve children, serving as a commissioned group portrait of the family. While the painting is currently part of the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam, historical records indicate it was previously owned by Salomon Rendorp.

The dimensions of the canvas measure 107 cm in height and 155 cm in width. The provided sources do not contain specific inventory numbers or a record of past exhibitions for this piece.

Legacy

Painted in 1655 by Pieter van Anraedt, the Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen with his wife and twelve children exemplifies the Dutch family portrait genre. The work entered the Rijksmuseum collection and was previously owned by Salomon Rendorp, establishing its presence in a major national museum. As a large-scale group portrait, it contributed to the development of collective portraiture in the mid‑17th century and continues to be cited in scholarship on family dynamics and merchant-class representation.

Its display in the Rijksmuseum has reinforced its reputation as an important example of Amsterdam portraiture from the period.

Overview

This oil painting, created by Pieter van Anraedt in 1655, presents a large family portrait. Titled Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen (1608-1676), with his wife and their twelve children, the work captures the prominent merchant, his spouse Susanna van Uffelen, and their numerous offspring, including Ferdinand van Collen. The artwork is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum collection.