Jacob Christiaan Koningsberger (1867-1951). Voorzitter van de volksraad (1918-19)

About this artwork

buitenmaat: diepte 8,5 cm (drager incl. SK-L-1719)

Art Historical Context

Behold this striking oil on canvas portrait by Dutch artist Willy Sluiter, created in September 1925 and now housed in the Rijks. Measuring 99.5 cm high by 81.5 cm wide (with an 8.5 cm depth including its support), the painting captures Jacob Christiaan Konberger (1867-1951), a prominent figure identified beneath the title as *Voorzitter van de volksraad (1918-19)*—Chairman of the Volksraad those years. The Volksraad, established in 1918, was the Dutch East Indies' first advisory legislative council, introducing limited indigenous representation amid colonial governance—a pivotal, if modest, step toward political reform in what is now Indonesia. Sluiter's depiction, painted six years after Koningsberger's tenure, immortalizes this statesman's role in that transitional era, reflecting Dutch imperial history through personal portraiture. Sluiter, renowned for his elegant society portraits, employs the timeless medium of oil on canvas to achieve luminous depth and nuanced expression, ideal for conveying authority and character. This work invites visitors to ponder the intersections of politics, colonialism, and artistry in early 20th-century Netherlands.