Artwork

Portrait of Jacob Dane, Director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, elected 1689

Portrait of Jacob Dane, Director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, elected 1689 is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pieter van der Werff. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

It is classified as a portrait and belongs to the collection of the Rijksmuseum, originating from the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company.

The portrait depicts Jacob Dane, director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, rendered in oil paint on canvas. The work measures 82 centimeters in height by 68 centimeters in width and was created in 1700 by Pieter van der Werff. It is classified as a portrait and belongs to the collection of the Rijksmuseum, originating from the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company.

The painting’s formal qualities reflect the stylistic conventions of Dutch portraiture from the late 17th century, with careful attention to surface detail and compositional balance.

History & Provenance

The work commissioned by Jacob Dane, Director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, was created by Pieter van der Werff in 1700. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Rotterdam and remains there today. The painting measures 82 cm by 68 cm and depicts Dane in his official capacity.

Its creation followed his election to the position in 1689, linking the portrait directly to his official duties.

Portrait of Jacob Dane, Director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, painted by Pieter van der Werff in 1700, is housed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is cataloged under the museum’s collection with the inventory number SK-A-2573. The work has been exhibited in the Rijksmuseum’s presentation of Dutch portraiture from the late 17th century, included in the 2014 exhibition 'Golden Ages: Dutch Masters from the Rijksmuseum Collection' and featured in the 2020–2021 exhibition 'Dutch Portraits: The Rise of the Individual' at the Rijksmuseum.

Overview

Created in 1700 by Dutch painter Pieter van der Werff, this oil portrait presents Jacob Dane, who held the directorship of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company from 1689. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the refined portraiture typical of the late Dutch Golden Age.

Subject & Meaning

Jacob Dane is shown in formal attire, his serious gaze underscored by a prominent white wig and a dark coat trimmed with a white lace collar. The composition emphasizes his status and authority, reflecting the commercial prominence of the East India Company’s Rotterdam branch during the period.