Artwork

Portrait of Petrus Jacobus Joubert - Commander-General of the South African Republic

Portrait of Petrus Jacobus Joubert - Commander-General of the South African Republic is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Thérèse Schwartze. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1890 by Thérèse Schwartze, the work functions as a formal portrait identifying its sitter by his significant military and political office.

The painting depicts Piet Joubert, who served as the Commander-General of the South African Republic. Created in 1890 by Thérèse Schwartze, the work functions as a formal portrait identifying its sitter by his significant military and political office. As the main subject of the composition, Joubert is presented in a manner that reflects his status as a leader within the Republic.

The iconography centers on the individual himself, utilizing the conventions of the portrait genre to document a key historical figure of the era.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 125 cm in height and 89 cm in width. Thérèse Schwartze applied oil paint to depict Piet Joubert, capturing his dignified bearing with a restrained palette and precise brushwork that emphasizes texture and surface detail. The surface retains its original handling characteristics, showing no significant degradation, and the composition balances realistic representation with subtle tonal modulation characteristic of late‑19th‑century portraiture.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Petrus Jacobus Joubert, Commander-General of the South African Republic, was created by the Dutch artist Thérèse Schwartze in 1890. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 125 cm in height and 89 cm in width. It depicts Piet Joubert as its main subject.

The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which also houses the Amsterdam Museum's holdings.

The work is held in the collections of the Rijksmuseum and the Amsterdam Museum. Its accession number is not specified in the available sources. The painting has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Museum, and the South African National Gallery.

Overview

Thérèse Schwartze’s 1896 oil portrait presents Piet Joubert, the Commander‑General of the South African Republic. Executed in the late nineteenth century, the work resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it exemplifies the artist’s focus on formal portraiture of prominent figures.