Portret van Johannes Wilhelmus van IJssum 1794

This is a print made in Delft in 1794 by Jeremias Snoek, depicting Johannes Wilhelmus van IJssum. As the inscription tells us, van IJssum was a preacher in Delft, a city then part of the Dutch Republic. But let’s consider the wider context. The Dutch Republic was a society of stark class divisions, dominated by a wealthy merchant class, and its religious life was inflected by the rise of Protestantism. Clergymen held important public roles, providing moral guidance and reinforcing social norms. Van IJssum’s formal attire, including his powdered wig, signals his place within this social hierarchy. His position also underscores the power of religious institutions in shaping individual identity and social life. By studying documents like church records, personal letters, and other prints of the era, we can further understand the social and institutional forces that shaped not only van IJssum’s life but also the artist's choices in representing him. Art, after all, is never made in a vacuum.