Portret van Adriaan de Lelie 1775 - 1833

Curator: Here in Gallery 12 at the Rijksmuseum, we have an intriguing portrait titled, “Portret van Adriaan de Lelie.” Executed sometime between 1775 and 1833, this drawing is rendered in pencil. Editor: Wow, he's got such an assured, slightly quizzical air about him. Like he knows something you don't and isn't quite sure whether to share it. You know? He's handsome and confident, but those wisps of hair escaping his hat suggest a bit of dishevelment too. What does he do? Curator: We know that the sitter, Adriaan de Lelie, was himself a painter, quite successful as a portraitist and genre painter in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the Netherlands. Given the direct gaze, it feels like this portrait may have been for other artists within De Lelie’s network. The work may function less as an object of admiration and more as a study for understanding the likeness and essence of Adriaan de Lelie as a fellow creative and prominent social figure. Editor: That makes sense, knowing he was a painter. There’s an ease to the lines, especially around the eyes and mouth, that an artist would appreciate. It's so subtle, yet it captures a distinct personality. But it also makes me think of all the sittings and the dynamic between artist and subject. There is an undeniable intimacy to it. The medium helps that so much. It gives us such close access. Curator: Indeed. The choice of pencil lends a certain informality, a sense of immediacy. Unlike a formal oil painting, this drawing feels almost like a fleeting glimpse into the life of Adriaan de Lelie, capturing not just his physical appearance, but also perhaps his intellectual and artistic spirit. These lines and shadows communicate something important about the sitter’s own practice and legacy as an artist. Editor: It's like a visual whisper. Makes you wonder what stories that pencil could tell if it could talk. And whether de Lelie realized he was sitting for what would become a museum piece. Something very profound happens with an object such as this over time. Curator: Exactly. From studio aide-mémoire to valued object on display here, it showcases the shifts in artistic appreciation and demonstrates how certain pieces are promoted as objects of cultural value at certain points in time. It gives me so much to think about regarding Adriaan de Lelie, and of the structures that preserve him. Editor: What a fascinating study. I'm heading off now to contemplate portraiture and impermanence, thanks to this wonderful drawing.