Artwork
Portrait of Hermanus Boerhave (1668-1738), professor of medecine at the university of Leiden, with his wife Maria Drolenvaux (1686-1746) and their daughter Johanna Maria (1712-91)
Portrait of Hermanus Boerhave (1668-1738), professor of medecine at the university of Leiden, with his wife Maria Drolenvaux (1686-1746) and their daughter Johanna Maria (1712-91) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Arent de Gelder. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Arent de Gelder’s 1720 oil painting presents a family portrait of the Leiden physician Hermanus Boerhaave, his wife Maria Drolenvaux, and their daughter Johanna Maria. Executed in the early eighteenth century, the work now belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the continuation of Rembrandt’s late‑period sensibilities within a Rococo framework.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the three family members seated closely together, conveying a sense of domestic cohesion.
The composition centers on the three family members seated closely together, conveying a sense of domestic cohesion. Boerhaave appears in a dark brown coat with a lighter vest, his expression calm and contemplative. Maria Drolenvaux is dressed in a modest gown trimmed with lace and a pearl necklace, cradling their daughter, who is swaddled in a purple blanket, suggesting maternal care and familial continuity.
Technique & Style
De Gelder employs soft, nuanced brushwork to render the textures of silk and lace, especially evident in the delicate folds of the women’s dresses. The faces are rendered with gentle modeling, avoiding overt smiles and creating a restrained, serious atmosphere. Subtle chiaroscuro enhances the three‑dimensionality of the figures, while the overall palette reflects Rococo’s lighter tonal preferences.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1720, the portrait remained in private hands before entering the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Dutch painting collection. Its attribution to de Gelder aligns with his known practice of extending Rembrandt’s late style into the eighteenth century, bridging Baroque realism and emerging Rococo aesthetics.
Context
The work reflects the social status of Boerhaave, a prominent professor of medicine at Leiden University, and illustrates the period’s emphasis on portraying learned individuals within familial settings. The inclusion of refined attire and accessories, such as Maria’s pearl necklace and the daughter’s fan, signals the family’s affluence and cultural engagement during the early Enlightenment era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Aert de Gelder (Dutch: ; October 26, 1645 – August 27, 1727) was a Dutch painter, the only Dutch artist to paint in the tradition of Rembrandt's late style into the 18th century.
