Artwork
Portrait of Hermanus Boerhave (1668-1738), professor of medecine at the university of Leiden, with his wife Maria Drolenvaux (1686-1746) and their daughter Johanna Maria (1712-91)
Portrait of Hermanus Boerhave (1668-1738), professor of medecine at the university of Leiden, with his wife Maria Drolenvaux (1686-1746) and their daughter Johanna Maria (1712-91) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Arent de Gelder. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition functions as a domestic group portrait, capturing the three figures together to represent the familial unit of the distinguished academic.
This 1720 family portrait depicts Hermanus Boerhaave, a renowned professor of medicine at the University of Leiden, alongside his wife Maria Drolenvaux and their daughter Johanna Maria. The composition functions as a domestic group portrait, capturing the three figures together to represent the familial unit of the distinguished academic. By including his wife and child, the work extends beyond a simple professional likeness to illustrate Boerhaave's private life and lineage.
The painting serves as a visual record of this specific family structure during the early eighteenth century, emphasizing their collective identity rather than isolating the professor's scholarly status.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1720 as an oil on canvas portrait by Arent de Gelder depicting Herman Boerhaave, his wife Maria Drolenvaux, and their daughter Johanna Maria. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display.
The work was commissioned to show the prominent Leiden medical professor and his family, reflecting the cultural prominence of the Boerhave household in early 18th-century Dutch society.
Overview
Arent de Gelder’s 1720 oil painting presents a family portrait of the Leiden physician Hermanus Boerhaave, his wife Maria Drolenvaux, and their daughter Johanna Maria. Executed in the early eighteenth century, the work now belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the continuation of Rembrandt’s late‑period sensibilities within a Rococo framework.
Technique & Style
De Gelder employs soft, nuanced brushwork to render the textures of silk and lace, especially evident in the delicate folds of the women’s dresses. The faces are rendered with gentle modeling, avoiding overt smiles and creating a restrained, serious atmosphere. Subtle chiaroscuro enhances the three‑dimensionality of the figures, while the overall palette reflects Rococo’s lighter tonal preferences.
Context
The work reflects the social status of Boerhaave, a prominent professor of medicine at Leiden University, and illustrates the period’s emphasis on portraying learned individuals within familial settings. The inclusion of refined attire and accessories, such as Maria’s pearl necklace and the daughter’s fan, signals the family’s affluence and cultural engagement during the early Enlightenment era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Aert de Gelder (Dutch:; October 26, 1645 – August 27, 1727) was a Dutch painter, the only Dutch artist to paint in the tradition of Rembrandt's late style into the 18th century.
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