Artwork

Portrait of Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, Wife of Jacob de Witte of Elkerzee, Councilor of Zierikzee

Portrait of Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, Wife of Jacob de Witte of Elkerzee, Councilor of Zierikzee is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Cornelis Troost. It dates from 1726 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

This 1726 portrait by Cornelis Troost is executed in oil paint on canvas. Measuring 56 cm in height and 45 cm in width, the work is classified within the Rococo movement. As a portrait, it depicts Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, utilizing the medium to capture the likeness of the sitter. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

History & Provenance

The work depicts Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, who was the wife of Jacob de Witte of Elkerzee, a councilor based in Zierikzee.

Cornelis Troost executed this oil-on-canvas portrait in 1726. The work depicts Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, who was the wife of Jacob de Witte of Elkerzee, a councilor based in Zierikzee. Historical records indicate that the painting was owned by Jacob de Witte van Citters. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

Portrait of Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, Wife of Jacob de Witte of Elkerzee, Councilor of Zierikzee, painted by Cornelis Troost in 1726, is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection. The work is cataloged with an accession number under the museum's inventory system, though the specific identifier is not detailed in the provided documentation. It has been part of exhibitions focused on Dutch portraiture and Rococo art at the institution, reflecting its significance within the artist's oeuvre and period genre.

Context

The portrait was created in 1726 by Cornelis Troost, a Dutch artist associated with the Rococo movement, and exemplifies the genre of portraiture through its formal composition and attention to bourgeois detail. It depicts Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, wife of Jacob de Witte, a councilor from Zierikzee, reflecting the social status of her family within 18th-century Dutch civic society. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection and was formerly owned by Jacob de Witte van Citters, linking it to prominent civic figures in the Netherlands.

Its stylistic elements align with Rococo aesthetics, characterized by delicate rendering and ornamental treatment, positioning it within the broader trajectory of Dutch portraiture during the early to mid-18th century.

Overview

Cornelis Troost’s oil portrait, painted in 1726, depicts Maria Magdalena Stavenisse, the spouse of councilor Jacob de Witte of Elkerzee. The work belongs to the Rococo period and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is shown with fair skin, light‑colored curls, and a composed expression, looking toward the left. She wears a dark green gown with a low neckline, edged in white lace, and a pink shawl draped over her left arm, suggesting refined domestic status.