Portrait of Jacob van Reygersbergh before 1671

This is Rombout Verhulst’s Portrait of Jacob van Reygersbergh, made from terracotta in the 17th century. Terracotta, meaning ‘baked earth’ in Italian, is a humble material. But in the hands of a skilled sculptor like Verhulst, it could powerfully evoke human presence. Note the fine texture he’s achieved in the hair and lace collar, a stark contrast to the smooth skin of the face. Verhulst was one of the leading sculptors in the Dutch Republic, and terracotta was his specialty. Unlike marble, which had to be imported, terracotta was locally sourced and relatively inexpensive. This made it an ideal material for portrait busts, which were increasingly popular among the Dutch merchant class. In this way, the material itself speaks to the social context of the work, reflecting a shift away from aristocratic patronage and towards a more bourgeois art market. The very act of modeling in clay, rather than carving stone, suggests a new informality. By emphasizing process and materiality, Verhulst blurred the lines between craft and fine art.