Where can I see Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt (1580-1639)?

Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt (1580-1639) is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt (1580-1639)?

Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt (1580-1639) is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt (1580-1639)

Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt (1580-1639) is an oil painting. It dates from 1636 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The oil painting depicts Adam van Westerwolt (1580‑1639) standing before a dark backdrop.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The artwork serves as a direct visual record of the sitter, capturing his likeness during the mid-1630s.

The work depicts Adam van Westerwolt, identified as the main subject of this 1636 oil painting. As a portrait genre piece, the composition focuses entirely on the individual, presenting him as the central figure without additional narrative elements or secondary characters described in the sources. The artwork serves as a direct visual record of the sitter, capturing his likeness during the mid-1630s.

No specific symbolic attributes, iconographic details, or deeper allegorical meanings are provided in the available documentation beyond the straightforward identification of the subject.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1636, this portrait is an oil painting applied to a wooden panel support. The work measures 106 cm in height and 75.5 cm in width. While the specific artist remains anonymous, the piece is classified as a formal portrait depicting Adam van Westerwolt.

The composition utilizes oil paint as its sole recorded medium, adhering to standard Netherlandish portrait conventions of the mid-seventeenth century regarding material choice and scale.

History & Provenance

The work was painted in 1636 for an unknown patron and entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains on public display. It was created as a likeness of the sitter identified as Adam van Westerwolt, a figure recorded in contemporary records as a merchant and civic officer. The painting was executed on panel using oil paint and measures 106 centimeters in height by 75.5 centimeters in width.

The Portrait of Adam van Westerwolt is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. According to the Wikidata record, the painting forms part of the museum's holdings and is located there. The work is catalogued as an anonymous oil-on-panel portrait dated 1636, depicting Adam van Westerwolt.

No inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.

Legacy

The portrait's legacy rests on its attribution to the Dutch Golden Age and its presence in the Rijksmuseum collection, where it is recognized as a representative example of 17th-century portraiture. Its depiction of Adam van Westerwolt has informed scholarly discussions of contemporary civic identity and artistic technique, particularly the use of oil on panel in mid-1600s Netherlands.

Overview

The oil painting depicts Adam van Westerwolt (1580‑1639) standing before a dark backdrop. He is attired in a black coat with a white collar and cuffs, richly embroidered in gold. His right hand rests on a sword hilt, while a table to his right holds a globe and a book. The composition conveys a quiet, contemplative mood.