Pieter Cnoll, Cornelia van Nijenrode, their Daughters and Two Enslaved Servants by Jacob Coeman

Pieter Cnoll, Cornelia van Nijenrode, their Daughters and Two Enslaved Servants 1665

jacobcoeman

character pose

imaginative character sketch

character portrait

character art

dog

incomplete sketchy

possibly oil pastel

character sketch

underpainting

painting painterly

watercolor

Jacob Coeman's "Pieter Cnoll, Cornelia van Nijenrode, their Daughters and Two Enslaved Servants" (1665) is a Dutch Golden Age portrait painting depicting a wealthy family. The painting features a prominent display of social hierarchy, placing Pieter Cnoll and his wife Cornelia prominently in the center, while their daughters and two enslaved servants are positioned at the edges of the composition. Coeman's use of light and shadow highlights the family's wealth and status, while the presence of the enslaved servants provides a stark reminder of the realities of colonialism and slavery during this period.

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rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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Cnoll was a senior merchant of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Batavia. In that position, in addition to his official function, he could conduct private business and become wealthy in a short period of time. Cornelia was the daughter of a VOC merchant and a Japanese courtesan. This portrait illustrates the opulence of their lifestyle and surroundings. The clothing – the latest Dutch fashion – is adorned with the most precious jewels. In the background are two of their fifty enslaved servants.