Sebastiaan Leerse, Merchant of Antwerp 1804

Willem Bartel van der Kooi painted ‘Sebastiaan Leerse, Merchant of Antwerp’ with oil on canvas sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Here we see a figure, likely a member of the Dutch upper class, rendered with a solemnity fitting the era of Dutch societal change and revolution. In a time of shifting economic and political landscapes, the artist captures the sitter's identity as both an individual and a member of the mercantile elite. This man embodies the intersection of personal ambition and the broader societal structures that enabled his success. It's hard not to notice the fine lace detailing at the wrists and neck, as it speaks to the societal emphasis on wealth. Van der Kooi develops a narrative that's equally personal and reflective of societal values. "Painting is feeling, is seeing" van der Kooi said, "it captures a moment in time". Through this work, we are asked to consider not only the individual story of Sebastiaan Leerse, but also the economic and political context that shaped his identity.