Portrait of Charles van der Meulen, Missionary to Curaçao 1844 - 1849

This anonymous portrait depicts Charles van der Meulen, a missionary to Curaçao, who died in 1844. The subject is dressed in a black cassock, a traditional garment worn by priests, and holds a rosary and a crucifix. The simple, direct style of the painting is characteristic of 19th-century portraiture. The inscription at the top indicates the identity of the subject and the year of his death. This small oil painting is a reminder of a religious figure who devoted his life to missionary work in the Caribbean.