Where can I see Portrait of Johan de Witt?

Portrait of Johan de Witt is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of Johan de Witt?

Portrait of Johan de Witt is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Portrait of Johan de Witt

Portrait of Johan de Witt is an oil painting. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is an oil painting portraying a seated male figure dressed in a dark coat with a white collar.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting portrays Johan de Witt, a prominent Dutch statesman, as its central figure. Rendered in oil on canvas, the work emphasizes his authority and civic importance within the Dutch Republic of the 17th century. Its composition and presentation reflect the formal portrait conventions of the era, underscoring the subject's political stature and legacy.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting on canvas measuring 112 cm by 86 cm, created in 1680. It portrays Johan de Witt and follows the conventions of 17th-century Dutch portraiture with a restrained palette and precise rendering of texture. The surface exhibits a smooth finish typical of oil on canvas, reflecting the technical proficiency of the period.

History & Provenance

The work entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, which is listed as the holding institution within the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.

The painting was created in 1680, as indicated by its inception date in the Rijksmuseum’s records.

It is catalogued as a work after Jan de Baen, suggesting it is a posthumous portrait based on an earlier prototype by de Baen. The work entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, which is listed as the holding institution within the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. The painting measures 112 cm in height and 86 cm in width, executed on canvas using oil paint.

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it forms part of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection. Created in 1680, this oil-on-canvas portrait depicts Johan de Witt and is attributed as a work after Jan de Baen. The inventory details confirm its presence in the Rijksmuseum's holdings with dimensions of 112 cm in height and 86 cm in width. No specific exhibition history or accession number is provided in the available records.

Context

The 1680 portrait of Johan de Witt, painted in oil on canvas, was created by an artist within the circle of Jan de Baen, reflecting the prominence of Amsterdam patricians in Dutch Golden Age portraiture. It is housed in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, part of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection, and exemplifies the genre of civic portraiture that documented elite political figures. Scholarship emphasizes its role in illustrating Johan de Witt's status as a statesman and its stylistic connection to the broader tradition of 17th-century Dutch portrait painting, situating it within the artist's wider context of formalized group and individual portraiture.

Overview

The work is an oil painting portraying a seated male figure dressed in a dark coat with a white collar. He rests one arm on a chair, his curly hair and moustache framing a solemn expression. A modest ring adorns his finger, and the background is minimal, suggesting only a faint suggestion of a window or shelf.