Artwork

Portrait of Taco Hajo van den Honert

Portrait of Taco Hajo van den Honert, by Jacob, Houbraken, unspecified, 1750
Portrait of Taco Hajo van den Honert, by Jacob, Houbraken, unspecified, 1750

Portrait of Taco Hajo van den Honert is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Jacob, Houbraken. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Leiden University Libraries. The portrait depicts Taco Hajo van den Honert, presented in a formal stance and attired in period costume.

About this work

The painting can be compared to works by artist Houbraken, Jacob, (1698-1780).

The painting shows a man, Taco Hajo van den Honert, in a formal pose.
He's dressed in old-fashioned clothes.
This painting is interesting because it was made after another work by H. van der Mij from 1736, and it has a Latin verse by H. Snakenburg below the image, which adds a layer of history to it.
The verse and the image together tell us more about the subject.
The painting can be compared to works by artist Houbraken, Jacob, (1698-1780).

Overview

The portrait depicts Taco Hajo van den Honert, presented in a formal stance and attired in period costume. The image is a later rendition of an earlier 1736 work by H. van der Mij, and it includes a Latin inscription composed by H. Snakenburg positioned beneath the figure.

Subject & Meaning

Taco Hajo van den Honert is rendered with a dignified bearing, his attire reflecting the fashion of an earlier era. The accompanying Latin verse, authored by Snakenburg, serves to contextualize the sitter’s identity and status, offering a textual complement to the visual representation.

Technique & Style

The composition follows the conventions of 18th‑century portraiture, employing a restrained palette and a clear, frontal arrangement. The formal pose and attention to costume detail echo the stylistic choices evident in contemporary Dutch portraiture, aligning with the manner of H. van der Mij’s original work.

History & Provenance

Created as a derivative of H. van der Mij’s 1736 painting, the portrait incorporates Snakenburg’s Latin epigraph, indicating a later addition or reinterpretation. Its lineage suggests a continuity of interest in van den Honert’s likeness across successive generations of artists.

Context

The portrait can be situated alongside the oeuvre of Jacob Houbraken (1698–1780), whose engravings and portraits share similar compositional rigor and emphasis on textual annotation. This comparison highlights a broader Dutch tradition of integrating literary elements within visual portraiture.

Artist & collection