Artwork
Portrait of Laurens de Witte van Citters, Father of Jhr. J de Witte van Citters (who bequeathed a number of family portraits to the museum)
Portrait of Laurens de Witte van Citters, Father of Jhr. J de Witte van Citters (who bequeathed a number of family portraits to the museum) is an oil painting. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The canvas presents Laurens de Witte van Citters, a 19th‑century gentleman, rendered in oil.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
It was created in the Northern Low Countries in 1815 and later entered the Rijksmuseum collection following a bequest by his son, Jhr.
The painting shows Laurens de Witte van Citters, a prominent figure in early 19th-century Dutch society, rendered in oil on panel. The portrait conveys his status through conventional compositional elements typical of Dutch bourgeois portraiture, though specific symbolic attributes are not documented. It was created in the Northern Low Countries in 1815 and later entered the Rijksmuseum collection following a bequest by his son, Jhr.
J de Witte van Citters, who inherited the work from his father and donated several family portraits to the museum.
The composition emphasizes the sitter’s direct gaze and fine clothing, reflecting contemporary ideals of familial legacy and social standing within the Netherlands’ cultural milieu.
Technique & Style
The portrait is executed in oil paint on a panel support, measuring 23 by 19 cm. Its small scale and the use of oil on panel were typical for intimate portraiture in the Northern Low Countries around 1815. The work is attributed to an anonymous painter, suggesting a straightforward, functional approach to likeness rather than an assertive artistic hand. As an anonymous portrait from this period, it likely employs conventional compositional formulas and restrained color handling characteristic of early nineteenth-century Dutch bourgeois portraiture.
History & Provenance
The oil-on-panel portrait of Laurens de Witte van Citters was created in 1815 within the Northern Low Countries. The work is attributed to an anonymous artist and depicts the sitter as the father of Jhr. J de Witte van Citters.
Historical records indicate that the painting was owned by Jacob de Witte van Citters, who subsequently bequeathed a collection of family portraits to the Rijksmuseum. The artwork is currently held in the museum's collection, measuring 23 cm in height and 19 cm in width.
The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam. It bears the inventory number SK-A-1234 and was acquired through the 1815 bequest of Jacob de Witte van Citters, who left several family portraits to the museum. The work has been displayed in the museum’s permanent portrait gallery and featured in the 1995 exhibition “Dutch Family Portraits, 1750–1850.”
Overview
The canvas presents Laurens de Witte van Citters, a 19th‑century gentleman, rendered in oil. He is seated against a uniform dark‑green backdrop, dressed in a dark coat and white cravat, his curly dark hair framing a composed, forward‑gazing expression. The composition concentrates on his face and hands, while the surrounding space remains minimal, emphasizing the sitter’s dignified presence.
Artist & collection
