Matthijs Balen Jansz (1611-91), poet and chronicler of Dordrecht

About this artwork

height 11 cm x width 9.5 cm

Art Historical Context

Behold this exquisite miniature portrait of Matthijsen Jansz (1611–1691), the esteemed poet and chronicler of Dordrecht painted by Jan Maurits Quink between 1732 and 1771. Quinkhard, a prominent Dutch Rococo artist known for his delicate portraits, captures Balen with remarkable intimacy on a tiny copper panel measuring just 11 cm high by 9.5 cm wide. Housed in the Rijksmuseum, this-on-copper gem exemplifies the 18th-century fascination with small-scale works that could be worn as jewelry or treasured in private collections. Matthijs Balen Jansz was a key figure in Dutch cultural history, renowned for his *Beschryvinge der stad Dordrecht* (1677), a detailed chronicle celebrating his hometown's Golden Age achievements in trade, art, and scholarship. Though painted decades after Balen's death, Quinkhard's likeness likely draws from earlier images, preserving the legacy of a man who wove poetry and local pride into enduring prose. The choice of copper as a support is artistically significant: its smooth, reflective surface allowed Quinkhard to achieve luminous glazes and fine details, rivaling enamel miniatures. This technique, popular in the Netherlands for its jewel-like quality, underscores the portrait's role as both historical tribute and virtuoso showcase, inviting viewers to lean in and discover Dordrecht's poetic past.

About the Artist

Jan Maurits Quinkhard · 1688–1772

Comment on works: History; Genre; Portraits