Artwork
Arend Willem Baron van Reede en zijn zoon Willem Frederik Baron van Reede
Arend Willem Baron van Reede en zijn zoon Willem Frederik Baron van Reede is a watercolor painting by Unknown. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is a watercolor portrait that presents a gentleman in profile, his white hair and dark jacket contrasted by a white cravat.
About this work
Overview
The work is a watercolor portrait that presents a gentleman in profile, his white hair and dark jacket contrasted by a white cravat. Rendered against a muted brown background, the composition emphasizes a restrained elegance without elaborate ornamentation.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is identified as Arend Willem Baron van Reede, accompanied by his son Willem Frederik Baron van Reede, suggesting a familial representation that underscores lineage and status within a modest visual framework.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor, the painting relies on delicate washes to model the figure’s features and attire. The limited palette—dark jacket, white cravat, and brown ground—creates a subtle tonal harmony, while the profile pose reflects a conventional portraiture approach of the period.
Context
Portraits of aristocratic families were common in the 18th‑19th centuries, serving both as records of lineage and as symbols of social standing. The use of watercolor, rather than oil, indicates a possible intention for a more intimate or quickly produced likeness.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
