Wollebrand Geleynssen de Jongh before a return fleet
Everdingen, Caesar van
This portrait of Wollebrand Geleynsz de Jongh (1594-1674) was commissioned by himself, probably in 1673. It was not yet completed when he died on January 28, 1674.
Although made shortly before his death, the portrait shows De Jongh as much younger man, in what he would have seen as the heyday of his career. Van Everdingen probably used an earlier portrait of De Jongh from 1664 for the facial features.
De Jongh made a career with the East India Company and spent most of the years between 1613 and 1648 in Asia. He rose to become director of trade in Persia and extra-ordinary Councilor of the Indies. In 1648 he returned to Holland as commander of a merchant fleet, after which he retired. He settled in his hometown of Alkmaar.
De Jongh is depicted in the portrait in his capacity as commercial director and commander of the return fleet to the Netherlands. He is painted full-length and wears trousers and a doublet of green silk with gold flowers. On the chest hangs a gold chain with the medal that De Jongh received from the VOC as a token of his merits. This medal is mentioned in his will of December 18, 1673 as 'a gold chain of five rounds, on which hangs a medal depicting the twelve ships with the coat of arms of the East India Company'. On the back is the text: 'In 't Vreede year, belant / Dees Vloot door Wollebrant / Van Oost-Indies rijcke Cust / In 't Lieve Vaderlant'. De Jongh holds his command baton in his right hand, using it to point to the fleet depicted in the view. On the table with the Persian cloth there are objects (a register, inkwell and writing quill and barely visible a sphere with the heavenly bodies) that refer to his activities as a merchant and sailor. On the right two black servants, one carrying the parasol and the other, a young boy, holding his sword and overcoat. As far as is known, De Jongh had no African slaves; it is known that he had an enslaved Indian domestic house servant. The presence of the two black servants in the painting is intended to emphasize the status of the sitter; they are somewhat caricatured and show a striking similarity to some drawings and paintings by Albert Eckhout, on which Van Everdingen may have based his work here.
Please contact Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar for reuse and copyrights.