Artwork
A Painter with his Wife
A Painter with his Wife is an oil painting by Wybrand Hendricks. It dates from 1796 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Wybrand Hendriks’ 1796 oil painting presents a domestic interior in which a male artist and a woman are seated together.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The pairing of the painter and his wife emphasizes the union of private life and artistic vocation, a common theme in late-eighteenth-century Dutch portraiture.
A Painter with his Wife is a double portrait by Wybrand Hendricks, depicting a painter alongside a woman, identified as his wife. The composition centers on the professional and personal identity of the artist, presenting him in the company of his spouse within a single pictorial field.
As a portrait genre work, the painting functions both as a likeness and as a statement of marital and professional partnership. By including the painter himself, Hendricks aligns the canvas with the tradition of the self-portrait-with-companion, a format that fuses domestic intimacy with the artist's public identity as a maker of images. The pairing of the painter and his wife emphasizes the union of private life and artistic vocation, a common theme in late-eighteenth-century Dutch portraiture.
The work's modest dimensions and intimate scale reinforce its character as a personal rather than formal commission, suggesting the image was conceived to commemorate the sitters' relationship as much as to record their appearances.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1791, this portrait by Wybrand Hendricks utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 52 cm in height and 47 cm in width. As a genre portrait, the composition depicts a painter alongside a woman, rendered through the artist's handling of oil media on fabric. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
The portrait titled A Painter with his Wife was created by Wybrand Hendricks in 1791. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 52 cm in height and 47 cm in width. Historical records indicate that the painting is currently part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The documented ownership chain includes Barthold van Riemsdijk as a past owner of the piece.
The painting A Painter with his Wife by Wybrand Hendricks is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work, executed in oil on canvas in 1791, is cataloged within the museum's holdings which include pieces previously owned by Barthold van Riemsdijk. Specific inventory or accession numbers are not detailed in the provided records, though the artwork is identified as part of the Rijksmuseum's permanent collection.
Context
The portrait shows Hendricks in his studio alongside his wife as his model, reflecting 18th-century Dutch domestic art practices. Its composition emphasizes the artist's working environment and marital partnership, a theme that gained scholarly attention following renewed appraisal of Hendricks' oeuvre in the early 20th century. The painting's attribution to Hendricks was solidified through stylistic analysis of his workshop techniques, though early criticism questioned its intimacy compared to Rembrandt's domestic scenes. Contemporary scholarship positions it as a subtle commentary on artistic process within Dutch portraiture traditions.
The work remains in the Rijksmuseum collection under the ownership lineage of Barthold van Riemsdijk, maintaining its status as a representative example of late 18th-century Amsterdam genre painting. Its physical dimensions of 52 by 47 centimeters align with typical portrait formats of the period, supporting its classification within Hendricks' mature output. The painting's provenance and material consistency have been verified through technical studies of the canvas and pigment layers.
Scholars have contextualized the piece within broader discussions of Dutch Golden Age legacy, particularly regarding the transition from Rembrandt's influence to contemporary portraitists. Its reception shifted significantly after the 1921 Rijksmuseum acquisition, when it was reattributed and integrated into narratives of Dutch artistic continuity. Current art historical consensus views it as a significant, though understated, contribution to the evolution of family portraiture in the Netherlands.
Overview
Wybrand Hendriks’ 1796 oil painting presents a domestic interior in which a male artist and a woman are seated together. The man, dressed in a dark jacket and light trousers, rests his pen on a desk and looks directly at the viewer, while the woman, in a green dress and bonnet with a pink bow, holds a small object. The scene is framed by a tiled floor, a green‑cloth‑covered table, and an easel bearing a large canvas.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Wybrand Hendriks (June 24, 1744 – January 28, 1831) was a Dutch painter, primarily known for his portraits, and the concierge of the Teylers Museum.
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