Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

Artwork

Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen

Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen, oil, 1604
Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen, oil, 1604

Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen is an oil painting. It dates from 1604 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The oil painting depicts a young boy standing in a dimly lit interior.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting is a portrait depicting a boy tentatively identified as Louis of Nassau, who later held the lordships of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk, and Lekkerkerk. According to the title, Louis was an illegitimate son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen, situating the sitter within the highest ranks of the House of Orange-Nassau. Although the work is catalogued as anonymous, the identification of the subject is the central interpretive anchor of the piece, framing it as a dynastic likeness rather than a generic child portrait.

The 1604 date places the image in the early years of the Twelve Years' Truce, when Maurice's political and military prominence made portraits of his family particularly meaningful as instruments of lineage and legitimacy.

As a portrait genre work, the painting's meaning lies in its commemoration of a specific noble child and, by extension, the projection of the Orange-Nassau line through an acknowledged but illegitimate branch.

Technique & Style

The attribution remains anonymous, though the handling of the oil medium reflects the portraiture conventions of the early seventeenth century in the region.

Executed in 1604 within the Northern Low Countries, this portrait is an oil painting applied on a panel support. The work measures 90 cm in height and 69 cm in width. Stylistically, the piece functions as a formal depiction of its subject, Louis of Nassau, Lord of De Lek and Beverweerd.

The attribution remains anonymous, though the handling of the oil medium reflects the portraiture conventions of the early seventeenth century in the region. No specific details regarding the current condition or distinct brushwork techniques are provided in the available records beyond the fundamental material composition.

History & Provenance

The painting is dated 1604 and attributed to the Northern Low Countries, aligning with its likely production during the early seventeenth century.

It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located. The work depicts Louis of Nassau, Lord of De Lek and Beverweerd, an illegitimate son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen.

The portrait is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. The work is cataloged within the museum's holdings as an anonymous oil painting on panel created in 1604. Specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available records.

Regarding its exhibition history, the provided sources do not list any specific dates, venues, or catalogues where the painting has been publicly displayed.

Overview

The oil painting depicts a young boy standing in a dimly lit interior. He wears a light‑green garment trimmed with lace and accented by red dots, complemented by a large white collar. In his left hand he holds a small bird perched on a stand, while his right hand grasps a bunch of grapes with two vivid red berries. A red curtain frames the background, emphasizing the figure’s pale complexion.

Portrait of a boy
Portrait of a boy, Willem van der Vliet

Artist & collection

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

Continue through works from the same source collection.

VISUALLY SIMILAR

Similarity 100 percent
This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Rijksmuseum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of Rijksmuseum. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen?

Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen?

Portrait of a Boy, possibly Louis of Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, De Leck, Odijk and Lekkerkerk, Illegitimate Son of Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Margaretha van Mechelen is associated with Dutch Golden Age.