Artwork
Portrait of gouverneur-generaal Adriaan Valckenier

Portrait of gouverneur-generaal Adriaan Valckenier is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Theodorus Justinus Rheen. It dates from 1737 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as an official portrait conveying Valckenier's authority and presence within the colonial administration.
The painting depicts Adriaan Valckenier, who served as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1731 to 1737. It was created by Theodorus Justinus Rheen in 1737 using oil paint on a brass support. The work functions as an official portrait conveying Valckenier's authority and presence within the colonial administration.
Its creation in Batavia reflects the intersection of European portraiture traditions with colonial contexts. The subject's representation emphasizes administrative power rather than personal identity.
The brass medium and rectangular format suggest a formal commemorative purpose tied to his tenure.
The painting is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection.
Valckenier governed during a period marked by tensions between the Dutch East India Company and local populations, including the 1740 Batavia uprising which occurred after his term ended. This historical backdrop informs the portrait's significance as a symbol of colonial authority in a volatile era.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on a brass support, measuring 102.5 cm in height and 85.5 cm in width. It was created in Batavia in 1737 and belongs to the portrait genre. The surface shows the characteristic sheen of brass combined with the depth of oil pigment, producing a formal, almost sculptural rendering of the subject. The composition is conventional for 18th‑century Dutch colonial portraiture, emphasizing clarity of line and restrained coloration.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Governor-General Adriaan Valckenier was created in 1737 by Theodorus Justinus Rheen. Executed in Batavia, the work is an oil painting on a brass support, measuring 102.5 cm in height and 85.5 cm in width. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Context
The work is classified as a portrait painting in brass, created by Theodorus Justinus Rheen in 1737. It was produced in Batavia and is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection, reflecting Dutch colonial portraiture traditions. The painting measures 102.5 cm in height and 85.5 cm in width, and its subject was the Dutch governor-general Adriaan Valckenier.
Overview
The Portrait of gouverneur-generaal Adriaan Valckenier is a brass relief created by Theodorus Justinus Rheen in 1737. It is now held at the Rijksmuseum.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Theodorus Justinus Rheen (1714–1745) was an artist, born in Amsterdam.










