Artwork
Johannes Gijsbert Vogel (1828-1915), Painter
Johannes Gijsbert Vogel (1828-1915), Painter is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Gijsbertus Derksen. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1910 by the Dutch artist Gijsbertus Derksen, this oil painting is a portrait of the elder painter Johannes Gijsbert Vogel (1828–1915). The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents Vogel in a studio setting, emphasizing his identity as a practicing artist.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Vogel, appears with a white beard and greying hair, dressed in a dark suit marked by a lapel pin. He holds a paintbrush in one hand and a wooden palette in the other, underscoring his lifelong dedication to painting. His composed, serious expression conveys a sense of professional gravitas.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on canvas, the portrait exhibits a modest impasto in the modelling of the face and clothing, giving the surface a tactile quality. The background is a dark, textured wall with a faint suggestion of a window or shelf, allowing the figure to emerge from a subdued setting.
History & Provenance
Derksen’s portrait was completed shortly before Vogel’s death in 1915 and entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century. The museum has retained the work as part of its representation of Dutch artistic networks of the period.
Context
Both artist and subject belonged to the Dutch landscape tradition of the nineteenth century, a milieu in which personal connections often resulted in mutual portraiture. The painting reflects the practice of honoring fellow painters through formal portrait commissions.
Artist & collection
