Artwork
Adrianus van Royen (1704-79), professor of medicine and botany in Leiden
Adrianus van Royen (1704-79), professor of medicine and botany in Leiden is an oil painting. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work measures 11 by 9 units, indicating a small-scale format typical for intimate likenesses or collectible items of the period.
This 1750 portrait is executed in oil paint on a copper support. The work measures 11 by 9 units, indicating a small-scale format typical for intimate likenesses or collectible items of the period. Created in Holland, the painting functions as a formal depiction of the Leiden professor of medicine and botany, Adrianus van Royen.
While the specific artist remains anonymous, the choice of copper as a substrate suggests a desire for durability and a smooth surface capable of rendering fine detail, a technique often favored for precise portraiture in the eighteenth century. The composition focuses strictly on the subject, adhering to the conventions of the portrait genre without extraneous background elements described in the available records.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Adriaan van Royen was created in 1750 in Holland. Executed in oil paint on a copper support, the work measures 11 by 9 units. The painting is attributed to an anonymous artist.
Historical records indicate that the work was once owned by Arnoud van Halen and Michiel de Roode before entering the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, as recorded in its Wikidata entry. Its documented provenance traces through two private owners before entering the museum: Arnoud van Halen and Michiel de Roode. No specific inventory or accession number is given in the available sources, and no exhibition history is recorded.
Overview
This copper painting portrays Adrianus van Royen, a 18th-century professor of medicine and botany at Leiden, in a formal, introspective likeness.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, identified by his attire as a man of scholarship, conveys calmness and serenity through his direct, composed gaze and gentle facial features.
Context
Reflecting portraiture conventions of its time, the work combines academic dignity with subtle, naturalistic characterization, typical of Dutch artistic traditions.
Legacy
While the painting's impact or influence is not detailed, it serves as a representative example of 18th-century Dutch portraiture on copper, highlighting the enduring interest in depicting scholars of the era.
Artist & collection
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