Portret van Wilhelmus Broes 1754 - 1820

Hermanus Numan's 18th-century engraving, “Portret van Wilhelmus Broes,” is a striking example of a commemorative portrait. The central oval portrait of Wilhelmus Broes, a prominent Dutch preacher, is framed by an elaborate arrangement of figures. Two cherubs hold a wreath above the portrait, symbolizing Broes’s piety and virtue. Below, two children represent his work with the young, while a female figure, perhaps representing Charity, gestures toward the inscription at the bottom. This elaborate design, coupled with the inscription, speaks to Broes’s esteemed position in Amsterdam, Leiden, and the broader church.