Where can I see Portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751)?

Portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751) is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751)?

Portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751) is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751)

Portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau (1711-1751) is an oil painting. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is an oil painting portraying a male figure dressed in a vivid red military coat adorned with gold embroidery.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work was created in the Northern Low Countries around 1750 using oil paint on canvas, a medium common for formal portraiture of the period.

The portrait shows William IV, Prince of Orange, depicted in formal attire that emphasizes his status within the Dutch aristocracy. The composition follows typical 18th-century portrait conventions, focusing on accurate representation rather than symbolic allegory.

The work was created in the Northern Low Countries around 1750 using oil paint on canvas, a medium common for formal portraiture of the period.

Technique & Style

A full-length oil portrait rendered on canvas, depicting William IV, Prince of Orange, painted circa 1750 in the Northern Low Countries. The work was created using oil paint on canvas and exhibits formal qualities characteristic of 18th-century Dutch portraiture, with attention to dignified pose and regal detail. It is part of the Rijksmuseum collection and was previously held by the Mauritshuis.

The painting measures 82.5 cm in height by 70.5 cm in width and remains in stable condition, reflecting careful handling and preservation over time.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau was created in 1750 in the Northern Low Countries and depicts the Prince of Orange. It was painted in oil on canvas, measuring 82.5 cm by 70.5 cm. The work entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum and is also held by the Mauritshuis. Its provenance reflects ownership by these institutions following its creation.

The portrait is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. According to the Wikidata record for the work, it is associated with both the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis as collections, with the Rijksmuseum listed as the current location. The painting is catalogued as an anonymous oil-on-canvas portrait dated to 1750.

No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.

Overview

The work is an oil painting portraying a male figure dressed in a vivid red military coat adorned with gold embroidery. He wears a powdered, curled white wig, a dark blue sash across his shoulder, and is set against a plain, dark backdrop that isolates the subject.

Context

During this period, Dutch aristocratic portraiture often combined military dress with refined interior settings to convey both martial prowess and cultivated elegance. The dark, unadorned background reflects contemporary trends that prioritize the sitter’s prominence.

Portrait of William V, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Johann Georg Ziesenis

Artist & collection

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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