Portret van David Haim Henriques de Castro

About this artwork

Gift of H.P. Gerritsen, The Hague

Art Historical Context

This lithographic portrait, created by Leonard de Koningh between 1822 and 1845, captures David Haim Henriques de Castro in a formal and dignified manner. Measuring 340 by 280 millimeters, the work exemplifies the precision and tonal subtlety that lithography offered artists during the early nineteenth century. As a relatively new printmaking technique at the time, lithography allowed for the wide distribution of individual likenesses, making portraiture more accessible beyond elite circles. The choice of medium reflects the period’s growing interest in reproducible art forms that combined drawing-like detail with the efficiency of printing. De Koningh’s rendering likely emphasizes both the sitter’s features and his social standing, common goals in Dutch portraiture of the era. Donated to the collection by H.P. Gerritsen of The Hague, the print now serves as a valuable record of nineteenth-century Dutch society and the technical artistry of its printmakers.