Nicolaas Verkolje

Probably Mrs. Quarin Willeumier van Oosthuizen, Utrecht/Oosthuizen;
Mrs G.J.M. Huitema-van Bredehoff de Vicq, Egmond aan den Hoef, by 1983.

Probably E.W. Moes, Iconographia Batavia. Beredeneerde lijst van geschilderde en gebeeldhouwde werken..., Amsterdam 1897, vol. I, p. 124, no. 1075;
C.J. Matthijs, 'De Portretten uit de Families van Bredehoff en de Vicq', Jaarboek van het Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie..., 1983, vol. 37, pp. 151-191, reproduced p. 176, fig. 30;
J.R. Brozius, Nicolaas Verkolje en de 'beminders der konst', Hoorn 2001, p. 21.

The actual painting is warmer in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The oval shaped canvas has an old, stable relining. Stretcher marks are slightly visible to the front. There is a small dent along the upper right edge, and a small vertical tear of approx. 3 cm. to the lower right. Otherwise, the paint surface seems to be in excellent condition. Particularly the brushstrokes in the figure's clothes have been wonderfully preserved. The paint surface is covered with a clean and glossy layer of varnish. The craquelure pattern is somewhat coarse. Although no retouchings are visible to the naked eye, inspection under ultra violet light does reveal a few small spots of retouching to the lower right and along the lower edge, in the centre, and in the upper centre left, and the craquelure has been slightly filled in, in the face and hand of the figure. Offered in a decorative carved gilt wood frame in good condition. (MW)
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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This elegant portrait belongs to a small group of portraits of members of the Van Bredehoff family, executed in 1727 by the artist Nicolaes Verkolje. Verkolje was a pupil of his father Jan Verkolje before settling in Amsterdam in 1700, where he was greatly influenced by artists such as Gerard de Lairesse (1640-1711) and Adriaen van der Werff (1659-1722).  He specialised in mythological subjects, genre scenes and portraits, and, like his father, was an excellent mezzotint artist. Already during his lifetime, Verkolje was widely acclaimed for his history pieces. Between 1720 and 1730 Verkolje visited the city of Hoorn on several occasions, where he was commissioned to paint numerous portraits of upper-class citizens and wealthy regent families,¹ including the present work.

Jacob Josias van Bredehoff was born in 1677 into a patrician family in the city of Hoorn, where his father held several high offices. He inherited the estate of Hobrede from his father, but did not share his father's nor his brother's political aspirations: he occupied the post of alderman of Hoorn for no more than a year. Verkolje has portrayed Jacob Josias as a grave, distinguished gentleman, at the age of 50, against the background of a classical formal garden, which became a characteristic format for most portraits Verkolje painted in the 1720s and 30s. In the same year, Verkolje also painted portraits of Jacob Josias' older brother Adriaen Bredehoff (1672-1733), together with his servant Tabo Jansz. (fig. 1), and of his daughters Johanna Machteld (1710-1769), at the age of 17 (fig. 2), and Maria Jacoba (1711-1772), at the age of 16. The latter married François de Vicq (1705 - 1780) in 1729, whereupon Verkolje was commissioned to paint De Vicq's portrait as a pendant of Maria Jacoba's portrait. Jacob Josias' wife Catharina van Foreest was never portrayed by Verkolje, because she tragically died in childbirth in 1712.

This painting shows Verkolje as a remarkable portraitist. The modelling of the soft rounded broad areas of flesh, the angularly draped silks, and the crisp light effects are all characteristic of Verkolje's style and although the physiognomy of the sitter with the high forehead is indeed very close to that of his brother, Verkolje has succeeded in portraying two men of completely different character.

1. Including the families of Foreest, Merens and Pompe van Meerdervoort, of whom a family portrait was sold in these Rooms, 13 November 2007, lot 60. See Brozius, under Literature, pp. 17-22.