Portrait of Rogier Le Witer

Jacques Jordaens (1593–1678), oil on canvas, 1635

As Grand Almoner of Antwerp, the merchant Le Witer was responsible for collecting charitable gifts. On the corner of the table is an object referring to this function, an offering plate with the inscription ‘[A]lemos[e] 1623’, the year in which Le Witer took up this office. The small, fettered figurine indicates that the alms were intended for prisoners.

Artwork typepainting
Object numberSK-A-4971
Dimensionsheight 152 cm x width 118.4 cm
Physical characteristicsolieverf op doek

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Missing Title

Identification

Title(s)
Portrait of Rogier Le Witer
Object type
Object number
SK-A-4971
Inscriptions / marks
- inscription and date: ‘(A)ELEMOS(E) A 1623’
- inscription and date: ‘AETATIS.44. 1635’
Description
As Grand Almoner of Antwerp, the merchant Le Witer was responsible for collecting charitable gifts. On the corner of the table is an object referring to this function, an offering plate with the inscription ‘[A]lemos[e] 1623’, the year in which Le Witer took up this office. The small, fettered figurine indicates that the alms were intended for prisoners.
Catalogue reference
P. van der Ploeg, 'Over twee portretten van Rubens', Mauritshuis in Focus 16 (2003), p. 20-21.

Creation

Creation
painter: Jacques Jordaens
Dating
1635
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Material and technique

Physcial description
olieverf op doek
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height 152 cm x width 118.4 cm

This work is about

Person
Subject

Exhibitions

Acquisition and rights

Credit line
Purchased with the support of the BankGiro Lottery, the Stichting Nationaal Fonds Kunstbezit, the Vereniging Rembrandt, with additional funding from the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, the Mondriaan Stichting, the Ministerie van OCenW, the VSBfonds, the Jaffé-Pierson Stichting, H.B. van der Ven, The Hague and the Rijksmuseum Fonds
Acquisition
purchase 2002
Ownership
Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
Commissioned by the sitter, Rogier Le Witer, Antwerp;{Note RMA.}….; Baron Dubois Wellens (Antwerp);{Note RMA}...; sale, P.H. Carpentier (Antwerp), 25 June 1849, no. 1, 2 and 3, bought in; Louis du Bois de Caters (1800-68), Antwerp; Douairière Bosschaert du Bois, Castle Vorselaar near Antwerp; Baron de Borrekens(?-1999), with the castle Vorselaar near Antwerp; his sale, London (Sotheby's), 12 July 2001, no. 35A, no. 35B and no. 36, £2,203,500, to the dealer R. Noortman, Maastricht;{Copy RMA.} from whom, fl. 12,500,000, with SK-A-4972 and SK-A-4973, to the Rijksmuseum, 2002
Remarks
Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

- P. van der Ploeg, 'Over twee portretten van Rubens', Mauritshuis in Focus 16 (2003), p. 20-21.
- J.S. Held, 'Notes on Jordaens', Oud Holland 80 (1965), p. 112-114, 117-118.
- L. Hendrikman, 'Oog in oog met Jacob Jordaens', Rijksmuseum Maastricht, Uitgelicht 8 [vouwblad].
- Documentatiemap SK.
- Jaarverslag Rijksmuseum Amsterdam 2001, Amsterdam 2002, p. 56-57 met afb.
- J.P. Filedt Kok, 'Drie portretten', Bulletin van de Vereniging Rembrandt 12 (2002), p. 9-13.
- Cat. Sotheby's London, Old Master Paintings Part I, sale L01121 (2001-07-12), lot 35
- R.-A. d'Hulst, 'Het boek in de Europese schilderkunst en meer in het bijzonder in het oeuvre van Jacob Jordaens', in: Liber Amicorum Herman Liebaers, Brussel 1984, p. 448.