Artwork
Portrait of Willem Usselinx, Merchant and Founder of the Dutch West Indies Company
Portrait of Willem Usselinx, Merchant and Founder of the Dutch West Indies Company is an oil painting. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is an oil on canvas portrait of Willem Usselinx, a 17th‑century merchant who helped establish the Dutch West Indies Company.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As an anonymous oil painting on panel, it serves to document the historical figure's identity within the context of Dutch mercantile history.
The painting depicts Willem Usselincx, identified as the merchant and founder of the Dutch West Indies Company. Created in 1637, the work functions as a formal portrait where the sitter is the main subject. As an anonymous oil painting on panel, it serves to document the historical figure's identity within the context of Dutch mercantile history.
The composition focuses entirely on representing Usselincx, capturing his likeness without additional narrative elements or elaborate symbolic attributes described in the available records.
Technique & Style
Created in 1637, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel support. The work measures 17.5 cm in height and 14 cm in width, presenting a compact format typical of intimate merchant portraits from Holland during the period. Stylistically, the piece is classified as an anonymous painting, lacking a specific attributed artist within the available records.
The medium and support combination reflects standard Dutch Golden Age practices for small-scale portraiture, focusing on the depiction of Willem Usselincx as a merchant and founder of the Dutch West Indies Company.
History & Provenance
Created in 1637, this oil painting on panel depicts the merchant Willem Usselincx. The work was produced in Holland and is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. While the specific circumstances of its commission and its full ownership history prior to entering the museum are not detailed in the available records, the piece is cataloged as an anonymous work from the mid-17th century.
Overview
The work is an oil on canvas portrait of Willem Usselinx, a 17th‑century merchant who helped establish the Dutch West Indies Company. Rendered in a close‑up format, the painting presents the sitter against a dark backdrop, emphasizing his features and attire. The composition follows the conventions of formal portraiture of the period, with a Latin inscription at the top serving as a title.
Artist & collection
