Portrait of Gerard van Bergen, Director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, elected 1653
1695 - 1722
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
68; 82
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Portret van Gerard van Bergen (gest. 1663), gekozen in 1653. Buste in ovaal naar rechts. Onderdeel van een reeks portretten van de bewindhebbers van de Rotterdamse Kamer van de Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, vervaardigd voor het Nieuw Oost-Indisch Huis uit 1698 aan de Boompjes te Rotterdam.
Art Historical Context
This elegant bust portrait captures Gerard van Bergen (d. 1663), a prominent director of the Rotterdam Chamber of Dutch East India Company (), elected in 165. Painted by Pieter van der Werff a leading Dutch artist of the late Baroque period known for his refined and polished style, the work dates between 1695 and 1722—likely posthumous, as van Bergen had passed away decades earlier. Rendered in oil on canvas (82 × 68 cm), it depicts him in an oval frame facing right, a format evoking classical medallions and lending a sense of timeless authority. As part of a prestigious series of VOC directors' portraits commissioned for the New East India House (built 1698) on Rotterdam's Boompjes quay, this piece commemorates the Company's golden era. The VOC, the world's first multinational corporation, fueled Dutch prosperity through global trade in spices, textiles, and porcelain, with Rotterdam's chamber playing a pivotal role in maritime ventures. Van der Werff's meticulous technique—smooth glazes and subtle lighting—highlights van Bergen's dignified features, symbolizing the era's mercantile elite. Today, housed in the Rijksmuseum, it offers a window into the Dutch Golden Age's economic might and cultural self-assurance, reminding us how art immortalized the architects of empire.
About the Artist
Pieter van der Werff · 1665–1722
Pieter van der Werff was the younger brother and pupil of Adriaan van der Werff. He was senior member of the Rotterdam painters' guild in 1703 and 1715. For a number of years, van der Werff simply made copies of works by Adriaan. Later, he produced original works in the manner of his older brother, including history paintings, portraits and genre scenes, almost always on a small scale. Comment on...