Portrait of Willem Pottey, Lawyer and Accountant-General of Flushing 1686 - 1693

Nicolaes Maes painted this portrait of Willem Pottey, a lawyer and accountant-general, in the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the Netherlands was at the forefront of global trade and cultural innovation. Maes situates Pottey outdoors draped in a blue robe trimmed with gold. His affect is one of serene confidence, underscored by his posture, leaning casually on what appears to be a stone plinth. There is a softness to his gaze, which meets yours head-on. The Netherlands at this time was a republic, and the portraits of this era offer insight into the values of the Dutch upper-middle class and their notions of self. While the portrait is fairly traditional, it captures a moment of individualism through composition, and the quiet intimacy of the man's expression. The painting reflects a society grappling with identity, caught between tradition and the burgeoning sense of self-determination, and the desire for personal expression.