Portrait of Barend Hakvoort (1652-1735) 1686

Hendrick ten Oever painted this portrait of Barend Hakvoort in 1680, capturing the sitter’s likeness in oil on canvas. Observe the stark white collar, a symbol of clerical status, cutting sharply against the dark robes and background. This collar, a visual echo of purity and authority, finds distant relatives in various forms throughout history, from the elaborate ruffs of the Elizabethan era to the simple, detachable collars of the Puritans. It signifies not just profession but also moral rectitude. Like the halo in religious iconography, it attempts to visually elevate the subject. But consider this: a collar, by its very nature, constricts. Psychologically, it represents control, discipline, and the suppression of the individual will in favor of institutional demands. Note the book binding in the background, reminiscent of the Codex. The artist conveys a sense of internal tension, a push and pull between personal identity and the weight of societal expectations. This visual motif, laden with cultural memory, continues its dance through time.