Portrait of Admiral Michael Adriansz de Ruijter 1668 - 1669

Ferdinand Bol painted this oil on canvas portrait of Admiral Michael Adriansz de Ruijter, though the precise date is unknown. The illusionistic qualities of oil paint are on full display here. Bol has convincingly rendered the textures of velvet, silk, and metal, materials closely associated with the Admiral’s status and power. But there’s also a deeper connection at play. These costly textiles depended on global trade routes, which in turn relied on naval power to protect merchant shipping. In this sense, the very materiality of the painting speaks to the Admiral’s role in the economic expansion of the Dutch Golden Age. Consider too, the labor embedded in this work. From the cultivation of flax for the canvas to the grinding of pigments by hand, Bol’s portrait is a testament to human effort and skilled craftsmanship. It’s a reminder that even in the realm of fine art, materials and making always matter.