Portret van Cornelius van Aken 1679 - 1693

Jan Verkolje I made this portrait of Cornelius van Aken, a Dutch theologian, using mezzotint, a printmaking process that allows for rich tonal gradations. Verkolje made several portraits, and his clientele included people from the Dutch elite. Here, van Aken is seen within an oval frame atop a plinth. The inscription on the plinth declares his profession and the various cities in which he served. His gaze is direct, yet there is a softness in his face. What do we glean from the portrait of a man of God? In the Dutch Golden Age, it was common for the upper classes to have portraits made of them. These paintings helped communicate not only status, but aspects of the sitter’s identity they wished to convey to the world. This work captures the ways in which societal roles and religious identity were publicly presented and preserved. It highlights how individuals sought to solidify their place in the historical record.