Portret van Johan Rudolf Thorbecke
Medium
etching
Dimensions
215; 268
About this artwork
height 268 mm x width 215 mm
Art Historical Context
This etching, created by Dutch artist Petrus Johannesendzen in 1876, presents a formal portrait of Johan Rudolf Thorbecke, one of the Netherlands’ most influential 19th-century statesmen. Thorbecke served multiple terms as Prime Minister and played a central role in drafting the liberal constitution of 1848, which expanded parliamentary power and civil liberties. Produced four years after Thorbecke’s death, the print likely served a commemorative purpose, preserving his likeness for public appreciation during a period of political reflection. Arendzen worked primarily in etching and engraving...
About the Artist
Petrus Johannes Arendzen · 1855–1935
Petrus Johannes Arendzen (1846–1932) was a Dutch etcher, draughtsman, and painter who dedicated his career to creating reproductive etchings of Dutch paintings in English collections while living in England from 1873 onward. Born in Amsterdam in 1846, Arendzen married Epiphania, daughter of Johan Stracké, and left his native city to pursue a unique commission from the Dutch Government: to copy the...