Portret van Gerard Dou

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

**Portret van Gerard Dou** is a delicate etching created in 1851 by Dutch artist Jacobus Ludovicus Cornet (1796–1884), a skilled engraver renowned for his precise reproductive prints. This intimate portrait honors Gerard Dou (1613–1675), the celebrated Leiden fijnschilder—a master the Dutch Golden Age known for his meticulous, jewel-like genre scenes and trompe-l'œil effects. Produced over two centuries after Dou's lifetime, Cornet's work reflects the 19th-century fascination with Northern Renaissance and Baroque masters, serving as both homage and scholarly reproduction. Etching, Cornet's chosen medium, involves coating a metal plate with acid-resistant ground, scratching designs into it, and immersing it in acid to etch fine lines—ideal for capturing Dou's refined features with intricate detail. At just 182 mm wide by 130 mm high, the small scale enhances its cabinet-piece charm, perfect for private collections or albums. The presence of the collector's mark Lugt 2228 (associated with a distinguished 19th-century owner) underscores its provenance and appeal among connoisseurs. This artwork bridges artistic eras, inviting visitors to appreciate how 19th-century printmakers like Cornet preserved the legacy of Golden Age luminaries, making their genius accessible through enduring technique.

About the Artist

Jacobus Ludovicus Cornet · 1815–1882

Jacobus Ludovicus Cornet (1815–1882) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and museum curator whose career bridged artistic practice and cultural preservation. Born in Leiden in 1815, Cornet devoted his life to documenting Dutch history and culture through his paintings and drawings while simultaneously working to preserve the nation's artistic heritage as head of Leiden's Prentenkabinet (Prints Cabin...