Artwork

Portrait of a Man, perhaps a Member of the Klinkhamer Family

Portrait of a Man, perhaps a Member of the Klinkhamer Family, by Jan Maurits Quinkhard, oil, 1738
Portrait of a Man, perhaps a Member of the Klinkhamer Family, by Jan Maurits Quinkhard, oil, 1738

Portrait of a Man, perhaps a Member of the Klinkhamer Family is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jan Maurits Quinkhard. It dates from 1738 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Overview

Jan Maurits Quinkhard, an 18th‑century Dutch painter, executed this portrait in 1738 on a copper support. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s holdings and exemplifies the Rococo period’s preference for elegant yet restrained composition. It presents a single male sitter, presumed to belong to the Klinkhamer lineage, rendered with a focus on facial presence.

Subject & Meaning

The figure is a middle‑aged man with a rounded visage, light‑colored hair and a sober expression. He is dressed in a dark coat trimmed with a white collar, his hands placed calmly on a dark tabletop. The plain, dim background isolates the sitter, emphasizing his status and character without narrative distraction.

Technique & Style

Quinkhard employed oil on copper, a medium that allows fine detail and luminous surface. Brushwork is slightly textured on the hands and sleeves, lending a tactile quality to the fabrics. Subtle chiaroscuro models the face, while soft shadows create a gentle three‑dimensionality, aligning with Rococo’s refined aesthetic.

History & Provenance

Created in the Dutch Republic during Quinkhard’s mature period, the portrait entered the Rijksmuseum collection at an unspecified date, where it remains on view. Its attribution to a member of the Klinkhamer family is based on stylistic comparison with contemporary family records, though definitive identification has not been confirmed.

Context

Portraiture in early 18th‑century Netherlands often served to affirm social standing and familial ties. Quinkhard, known for his courtly commissions, applied the Rococo’s decorative sensibility to a restrained, almost documentary representation, reflecting the era’s balance between aristocratic display and emerging bourgeois modesty.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jan Maurits Quinkhard

Artist

Jan Maurits Quinkhard

Jan Maurits Quinkhard (28 January 1688 – 11 November 1772) was an 18th-century painter and print designer from the Dutch Republic.

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Rijksmuseum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.