Artwork
Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen (1608-1676), with his wife and their twelve children
Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen (1608-1676), with his wife and their twelve children is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter van Anraedt. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
This oil painting, created by Pieter van Anraedt in 1655, presents a large family portrait.
This oil painting, created by Pieter van Anraedt in 1655, presents a large family portrait. Titled Portrait of the Amsterdam merchant Jeremias van Collen (1608-1676), with his wife and their twelve children, the work captures the prominent merchant, his spouse Susanna van Uffelen, and their numerous offspring, including Ferdinand van Collen. The artwork is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features Jeremias van Collen, dressed in a red coat, standing beside his wife, who wears blue. Their twelve children, depicted in various poses—some holding hands, others engaged in play—fill the foreground on a tiled terrace. A dog rests near the family group. The artist rendered each child's face and gesture with individual attention, creating a dynamic and naturalistic portrayal of the family rather than a static, formal arrangement.
Technique & Style
Van Anraedt utilized oil paint to create this large-scale family portrait. The figures are rendered in bright colors, standing against the backdrop of a grand house set within a verdant, tree-lined landscape under a soft sky. The artist's approach to composition avoids rigid linearity, instead scattering the children to convey a sense of lively interaction. This attention to individual expression and varied posture contributes to the painting's realistic quality.
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