REMEMBERING THE RICHPORTRAIT PAINTING IN 17TH-CENTURY NETHERLANDS

A portrait can be more than just the likeness of a person.In the 17th century, portraits were meant to convey a sitter’sstatus and wealth, values and attitudes, as well as taste andcharacter. Unlike today, only the upper middle class couldafford to have their likeness recorded.

Common features ofNetherlandish portraits

This is a typical portrait of the17th century. The sitter’s stiffpose complements his sombreexpression. The paint surfaceis smooth and the brush strokesare barely perceptible.

Sitters expected an artist tocapture their likeness, paycareful attention to details ofcostume and jewellery, andcreate a paint surface thatwas highly finished. Above all,they wanted to be immortalizedas affluent and respectablemembers of the community.

In the 17th century,the population ofthe Netherlandswas 672,000.This number issmaller than thecurrent populationof Ottawa, Canada’scapital city.

Why were hundreds of thousands ofportraits painted in the Netherlandsduring the 17th century?

� The economy was booming.� Wealthy merchants wanted to celebrate theirfamily’s success and commemorate events suchas births and marriages.� People wanted to remember loved ones and beremembered themselves.

Why do the subject’s eyes in a portrait often seem to follow you around the room?When you see the profile view of a person in real life, the nose hides the far eye.But because a painting’s surface is flat, the far eye remains visible in portraitsso that you always see both eyes at the same time.

Most portraits were life size. They were often painted in pairsdepicting the husband and wife on separate canvases. Male sittersdistinguished themselves with their animated facial expressions andbold gestures. Females were more reserved. The mood was generallyserious for both male and female portraits.

Many artists(such asFrans Hals)specializedin paintingonly portraits.

Rembrandt wasan exception.He paintedportraits as wellas landscapes,bible scenes andother subjects.

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