Artwork

Portrait of Mattheus de Haan, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies

Portrait of Mattheus de Haan, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies is an oil painting. It dates from 1726 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The oil painting depicts a dignified man in his sixties, dressed in a black coat with a white cravat.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Painted in 1726, the work belongs to the Dutch portrait tradition of depicting colonial officials in full regalia to signify rank and authority.

The portrait depicts Mattheus de Haan (1663–1729), who served as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1725 to 1729. Painted in 1726, the work belongs to the Dutch portrait tradition of depicting colonial officials in full regalia to signify rank and authority. The subject’s attire and pose emphasize his status within the Dutch colonial administration, linking personal identity to institutional power during the height of the Dutch East India Company’s influence.

The painting’s iconography centers on the individual’s role rather than allegorical elements, focusing on representation of office and identity.

Technique & Style

Created in 1726, the Portrait of Mattheus de Haan is executed in oil paint on a panel support. The work is classified as an anonymous painting attributed to an unknown artist. Measuring 101.5 cm in height and 83.5 cm in width, the piece adheres to the formal conventions of portraiture from the Dutch Golden Age period.

The medium and support combination of oil on panel was a standard technical choice for durable portraiture of this era.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Mattheus de Haan, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, was executed in 1726. Created as an oil painting on panel, the work measures 101.5 cm in height and 83.5 cm in width. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the identity of the artist remain unrecorded in available documentation, the piece has been attributed to an anonymous hand.

The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it serves as a depiction of de Haan.

The Portrait of Mattheus de Haan, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work, an anonymous oil painting on panel created in 1726, depicts the governor-general and measures 101.5 cm in height by 83.5 cm in width. While the painting is confirmed to be part of the museum's holdings, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they record any exhibition history for the piece.

Overview

The oil painting depicts a dignified man in his sixties, dressed in a black coat with a white cravat. He holds a long wooden staff in one hand while the other rests on his hip, set against a dark backdrop that isolates his figure. The composition emphasizes his solemn expression and formal attire, suggesting a position of authority.

Context

Portraits of colonial administrators were common in Dutch art, serving both as personal commemoration and as visual reinforcement of the empire’s reach. The work reflects the period’s aesthetic preferences for sober, dignified representation of state officials, situating de Haan within the broader visual culture of Dutch overseas governance.