William III, Prince of Orange, workshop C. Netscher (The Hague, 1668-1723)
Full-length portrait of William III, Prince of Orange-Nassau, future King of England. At the head of the United Provinces (Holland) in the 17th century, he was for 30 years one of Louis XIV's main rivals during the Wars of the Spanish Succession and the Wars of Holland.
The young prince is depicted standing against the backdrop of a rocky landscape. He holds the staff of command in his right hand, while with his left arm he leans on his thigh.
Dressed in full armor, a lace tie tied at the neck, he wears a long curly hair wig.
His helmet adorned with red feathers is placed on a stone entablature adorned with a drapery.
The body slightly turned three quarters, head held high, the gaze turned towards the spectator, his bellicose attitude against a background of a battle in the background allows him to assert his status as one of the greatest sovereigns of Europe.
Workshop of Constantin Netscher, last quarter of the 17th century.
Oil on canvas, dimensions: h. 80 cm, l. 63 cm
Giltwood and carved frame: framed: h. 95 cm, l. 79 cm
Our portrait is a studio version of Constantin Netscher, replicating the first portrait of the sovereign painted between 1680 and 1684. Now kept in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, it has the same dimensions as our portrait.
Few versions of this portrait are known, as in becoming King of England in 1689, William III privileged portraits with the insignia of royal power.
Constantin Netscher is the son of the painter Caspar Netscher and also his pupil. He adopts the style and manner from his father, almost exclusively making portraits of small dimensions. Specializing in portraits of small sizes, he was admitted to the painter's society of The Hague in 1699 and then became director of the academic school.