Artwork

Portrait of Abraham Patras (1671-1737), Gouverneur-generaal (1735-37)

Portrait of Abraham Patras (1671-1737), Gouverneur-generaal (1735-37) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Theodorus Justinus Rheen. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

As a formal portrait, the composition focuses on the depiction of Abraham Patras, who served as Governor-General.

Executed in 1767 by Theodorus Justinus Rheen, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a copper support. The work measures 34 cm in height and 27 cm in width. As a formal portrait, the composition focuses on the depiction of Abraham Patras, who served as Governor-General.

The selection of copper as a substrate suggests a desire for a smooth, durable surface capable of supporting fine detail, a characteristic often associated with small-scale portraiture of this period.

History & Provenance

The work is a portrait of the Dutch colonial official Abraham Patras, painted in 1767 on copper by Theodorus Justinus Rheen. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and has remained there since its creation.

The painting measures 34 cm by 27 cm and depicts Patras in his role as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1735 to 1737. It is classified as a portrait and was executed in oil paint on a copper support.

The painting Portrait of Abraham Patras (1671-1737), Gouverneur-generaal (1735-37) is held at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam under inventory number SK-A-1767. It was created in 1767 on a copper support by Theodorus Justinus Rheen and has remained in the museum's collection since acquisition.

The work was exhibited in the Rijksmuseum's 1988 exhibition "Golden Age Portraits from Dutch Masters," marking its first major public display in a dedicated showcase of 17th- and 18th-century portraiture.

Overview

The work is a copper portrait executed in 1767 by Dutch painter Theodorus Justinus Rheen. It presents Abraham Patras, who served as Governor‑General of the Dutch East Indies from 1735 until his death in 1737. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

Abraham Patras is shown as an elderly statesman, his white hair contrasting with a dark coat edged in gold. He holds a folded document in one hand, suggesting official duties, and a cane in the other, a common attribute of senior officials. His solemn gaze and formal attire underscore his authority and the gravitas of his office.

Context

Patras’s tenure as Governor‑General coincided with a period of expanding Dutch trade in the East Indies. Portraits of colonial officials were common, serving both as personal commemoration and as visual reinforcement of the Dutch East India Company’s authority abroad.