Artwork
Portrait of Willem V van Oranje- Nassau (1748-1806)
Portrait of Willem V van Oranje- Nassau (1748-1806) is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Robert Mussard. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a painted miniature, the piece relies on fine brushwork suitable for the small support material to render the likeness of the sitter.
Executed in 1750 by Robert Mussard, this portrait of Willem V is a miniature painting created on parchment. The work measures 5.3 cm in height and 7.1 cm in width, reflecting the intimate scale characteristic of the genre. As a painted miniature, the piece relies on fine brushwork suitable for the small support material to render the likeness of the sitter.
The combination of parchment as a support and the miniature format defines the object's physical handling and visual presentation within the Rijksmuseum collection.
History & Provenance
The work is held in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is recorded as inventory number SK-C-193.
It has appeared in the museum’s long-term displays of Dutch portrait miniatures, including the 2016 reinstallation of the Gallery of Honour, which situates Dutch and Flemish portrait art from the seventeenth to the eighteenth centuries.
Overview
Robert Mussard’s portrait of Willem V van Oranje‑Nassau, born in 1748 and deceased in 1806, dates from around 1750. Executed on parchment, the work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents the young prince in a restrained, formal pose.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is a youthful Willem V, depicted in a blue coat trimmed with silver buttons and lace cuffs. His light, curled hair and composed demeanor convey the status and expectations placed upon a future ruler of the Dutch Republic.
Context
The painting reflects mid‑18th‑century Dutch court portraiture, where young heirs were often shown in elaborate dress against plain backgrounds to emphasize lineage and personal virtue rather than setting or narrative.
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