Artwork
Portrait of Jacob Lescailje, Bookdealer and Poet in Amsterdam
Portrait of Jacob Lescailje, Bookdealer and Poet in Amsterdam is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jan Maurits Quinkhard. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1750 by the Dutch artist Jan Maurits Quinkhard, this oval portrait presents Jacob Lescailje, a prominent Amsterdam bookdealer and poet. Executed on a copper plate, the image measures a modest size and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The composition centers on the sitter’s face, set against a dark, unadorned background that emphasizes his features.
Subject & Meaning
Jacob Lescailje is shown with light, curled hair and a neatly trimmed beard, dressed in a dark, high‑collared coat over a lighter shirt. His expression is sober and his gaze steady, reflecting the dignified bearing expected of a learned merchant and literary figure in mid‑18th‑century Amsterdam.
Technique & Style
Quinkhard employed the delicate brushwork typical of the Rococo period, using soft transitions to model the sitter’s cheekbones and forehead. The copper support allows for fine detail and a subtle sheen; the surface shows signs of age, which have softened the original palette. Light falls across the face, creating a modest chiaroscuro that gives the portrait a three‑dimensional presence.
History & Provenance
The portrait entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of its Dutch Republic collection, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Quinkhard and its dating to around 1750 are based on stylistic analysis and archival references to Lescailje’s prominence as a bookseller and poet during that decade.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Maurits Quinkhard (28 January 1688 – 11 November 1772) was an 18th-century painter and print designer from the Dutch Republic.
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