Artwork
Johan Wittert van der Aa (1604-70)
Johan Wittert van der Aa (1604-70) is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerrit Dou. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Johan Wittert van der Aa is a portrait painted in 1646 by Gerrit Dou, a Dutch Golden Age painter and former student of Rembrandt. Executed in oil paint, the work exemplifies Dou's characteristic meticulousness and small-scale approach.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, Johan Wittert van der Aa, is depicted in formal attire—a black robe with a white collar and black tie—seated in a chair with his arm resting on a nearby table. The background features a stone column adorned with cherubs, suggesting a scholarly or formal environment.
Technique & Style
Dou employed chiaroscuro to create depth and dimensionality, a hallmark of his style influenced by the Leiden fijnschilders. The painting's attention to detail and finely rendered elements are characteristic of Dou's work within the Dutch Golden Age.
History & Provenance
Created in 1646, the portrait is now part of the Rijksmuseum's collection, associating it with the broader Dutch Golden Age movement.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerrit Dou (pronounced ; 7 April 1613 – 9 February 1675), also known as Gerard Douw or Dow, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, whose small, highly polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders.
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