Artwork
The family of Dirck Bas Jacobsz, burgomaster of Amsterdam
The family of Dirck Bas Jacobsz, burgomaster of Amsterdam is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Dirck van Santvoort. It dates from 1635 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
This group portrait, now housed at the Rijksmuseum, captures the burgomaster, his wife, and their children, presenting them within a formal domestic setting.
Dirck van Santvoort completed *The family of Dirck Bas Jacobsz, burgomaster of Amsterdam* in 1635, an oil painting depicting the prominent Amsterdam family. This group portrait, now housed at the Rijksmuseum, captures the burgomaster, his wife, and their children, presenting them within a formal domestic setting. It exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age tradition of commissioning portraits to document lineage and social standing.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features Dirck Bas Jacobsz, the burgomaster, alongside his wife, Agatha Bas, and Grietge Jansdr. Snoeck, likely a daughter, among other family members. Eight individuals are arranged within a room, their somber expressions conveying a sense of decorum. The inclusion of a young girl kneeling with a small dog introduces a subtle, more relaxed element, contrasting with the overall formality. This composition served to affirm the family's social position and affluence.
Technique & Style
Van Santvoort utilized oil paint to render the family in a formal indoor setting, characterized by dark walls and a patterned floor. The subjects are meticulously depicted in the fashion of the era, wearing stiff, dark garments accentuated by large white collars. The careful portrayal of these expensive fabrics, along with accessories like a fur hat and walking stick, underscores the family's material prosperity and social standing through detailed observation and precise brushwork.
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Artist & collection
Family scene
The Regents of the Spinhuis and Nieuwe Werkhuis, Amsterdam
Six regents and the beadle of the Nieuwe Zijds institute for the outdoor relief of the poor
Officers and other civic guardsmen of the IIIrd District of Amsterdam, under the command of Captain Allaert Cloeck and Lieutenant Lucas Jacobsz Rotgans
The Meebeeck Crywagen family near the gate of their country home on the Uitweg near Amsterdam