Brief aan de heer P.M. Verhoeven Possibly 1863 - 1868

This letter was written in The Hague on August 1st, 1863, by Jacobus Wilhelmus Adrianus Hilverdink. The letter makes mention of a painting depicting the siege of Alkmaar in 1573. This letter provides an interesting insight into the art world of the 19th century Netherlands. Hilverdink appears to be writing to a patron, P.M. Verhoeven, likely inviting him to view his painting which he intends to show to the King, suggesting that art served as a tool for social climbing and royal patronage. The mention of a historical event is also telling. The Netherlands at this time was a constitutional monarchy seeking to cement its national identity through celebrating moments of historic importance. The language used by Hilverdink is formal and polite, highlighting the social conventions of the time. As historians, we might consult archives of correspondence between artists and patrons, exhibition records, and royal inventories to better understand the social dynamics at play and further contextualize the role of art in 19th-century Dutch society.