Portret van Johannes Abraham Dederiks Molster 1837

Jan Rijk Matthijssen created this portrait of Johannes Abraham Dederiks Molster, using lithography. This image is a stark reminder of the Dutch Biedermeier era and its cultural emphasis on bourgeois values. Molster’s somber gaze and austere attire reflect the period's conservative norms. The lithographic technique, popular at the time, allowed for wider distribution of images, contributing to the cult of personality around public figures. Who was Molster? And what did it mean to have your portrait produced and circulated at this time? It speaks to a very particular kind of social identity and aspiration, one entwined with notions of respectability and status. Consider, too, how the artist, Matthijssen, navigated his own identity and career within these social constraints. What choices did he have available to him, and how did he express his own vision through this work? Ultimately, the portrait captures a moment in time, laden with the complex interplay of identity, representation, and social expectation.