Portrait of Caspar Commelin, bookseller, newspaper publisher and author of the official history of Amsterdam 'Beschrijvinghe van Amsterdam'of 1693

Van der Plas employs a restrained palette, using deep browns and muted reds to create a somber atmosphere. The figure is rendered with fine brushwork that defines the texture of the lace collar and the sheen of the chain, while the background remains largely dark, allowing the sitter’s face and the illuminated page to dominate the composition.

Created shortly after Commelin’s death, the portrait entered private collections before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s Dutch portraiture holdings. Documentation traces its ownership through several 18th‑century Dutch dealers, confirming its attribution to van der Plas.

The painting reflects the Dutch Golden Age tradition of portraying merchants and scholars as civic exemplars. By depicting Commelin with his published work, van der Plas aligns the sitter with the era’s emphasis on literacy, trade, and the documentation of urban history, themes common among Amsterdam’s elite patrons of the early 18th century.