Who painted Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter?

Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter was painted by Jan Weissenbruch in 1858.

Where can I see Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter?

Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter?

Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter is associated with Biedermeier.

Artwork

Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter

Jan Weissenbruch , 1858

Portrait of Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer, Marine Painter is an unspecified painting by the Biedermeier artist Jan Weissenbruch. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This oil painting presents the marine painter Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer seated in a simple wooden chair, shown in profile facing left.

About this work

Overview

This oil painting presents the marine painter Johan-Hendrick-Louis Meyer seated in a simple wooden chair, shown in profile facing left. The composition captures him at half-length, his body turned sideways while his gaze is directed away from the viewer. The restrained presentation and unadorned setting suggest an intimate, working portrait rather than a formal commission.

Subject & Meaning

Meyer appears not as a subject of grandeur but as a craftsman captured between tasks. His hands rest upon his knees in a gesture of pause, implying he has just set down his brush. This informal posture transforms the portrait into a document of artistic labor rather than social status, privileging the reality of the painter's daily practice over idealized representation.

Technique & Style

The artist employs a muted palette dominated by dark tones. Meyer wears a dark coat against a plain, shadowed background, with only the white of his high-collared shirt providing contrast. The controlled lighting models the face and hands while allowing the surroundings to recede, focusing attention on the sitter's concentrated expression and the telling gesture of his work-worn hands.