Jan Six

About this artwork

: ‘Jan Six, heer van Wimmenum etc. etc. etc. Burgermeester der stad Amsterdam’

Art Historical Context

This etching by Pierre François Basan presents a formal portrait of Jan Six, identified in the inscription as lord of Wimmenum and burgomaster of Amsterdam. Created between 1733 and 1797, the print captures the dignity of this prominent Dutch civic leader, whose multiple titles underscore his status within the city’s governing elite. Basan, a noted French engraver and publisher, worked in the tradition of reproductive printmaking, translating painted portraits into widely accessible images for an eighteenth-century audience. Etching as a medium allowed fine detail and tonal nuance, making it ...