Portret van Gerard Dou

About this artwork

onderschrift, recto linksonder, geschreven: ‘5ste proef aangelijnd chinees papier. De proeven 2, 3,4 en 6 bezit den H. vd Berch v. Heemstede’

Art Historical Context

**Portret van Gerard Dou** a delicate etching by Dutch artist Jacobus Ludovic Cornet, created in 1851. It portrays Gerard Dou (1613–1675), the renowned fijnschilder of the Dutch Golden Age, celebrated for his meticulous, candlelit genre scenes and hyper-realistic detail as a pupil of Rembrandt. Measuring just 182 × 130 mm, this intimate portrait captures Dou's legacy during a 19th-century revival of interest in Golden Age masters, when printmakers like Cornet produced homage portraits to honor artistic forebears. Etching, Cornet's chosen medium, involves incising lines into a metal plate with acid, allowing for precise, tonal reproductions ideal for disseminating images of famous artists. This piece is a rare "5ste proef" (fifth proof or trial print) on luxurious Chinese paper, as inscribed on the lower left recto: *‘5ste proef aangelijnd chinees papier. De proeven 2, 3,4 en 6 bezit den H. vd Berch v. Heemstede’*. Such proofs were experimental pulls from the plate, often prized by collectors like Mr. van der Bergh of Heemstede for their unique qualities before final editions. This artwork highlights 19th-century print culture's role in preserving art history, bridging Dou's 17th-century precision with Cornet's technical finesse. A charming window into both eras for modern visitors! (198 words)

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...