Portrait of Cornelis Apostool, First Director of the Rijksmuseum c. 1816
charleshowardhodges
character portrait
portrait reference
portrait head and shoulder
animal drawing portrait
portrait drawing
facial portrait
portrait art
fine art portrait
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"Portrait of Cornelis Apostool, First Director of the Rijksmuseum" is a formal portrait painted by Charles Howard Hodges in c. 1816. The oil-on-canvas painting depicts Apostool, a prominent figure in Dutch art history, in a seated pose holding a book. This work, housed in the Rijksmuseum, exemplifies the neoclassical style prevalent during the early 19th century. The somber palette and meticulous rendering of Apostool's features emphasize his intellectual gravitas, while the soft lighting contributes to a dignified and timeless aesthetic. Hodges' work captures not only the physical likeness of Apostool but also his role as a pivotal figure in the development of the Rijksmuseum.
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After the defeat of Napoleon, the director of the Rijks-museum, Apostool, was responsible for retrieving the art that had been stolen from the Netherlands and taken to France. In 1816 he returned triumphantly with most of it. This portrait was probably made on that occasion. Apostool wears the order of the knighthood that he received. The catalogue in his hand, from the Musée Français in Paris, is open to the Dutch school.
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