Portret van J.A.B. Stroebel (1821-1905), kunstschilder 1892

Pieter de Josselin de Jong painted this portrait of J.A.B. Stroebel, another painter, using oil on canvas. The dark palette and visible brushstrokes give the portrait a weighty, almost somber quality, fitting for a respectable artist in the late 19th century. De Jong's technique speaks to the established traditions of European painting, where skill and craftsmanship were highly valued. But the painting’s significance doesn't just lie in its technical execution. The painting documents a specific cultural moment, when artists were increasingly seen as professionals, part of a burgeoning art market. Stroebel's tools of the trade, presumably a brush and palette, subtly allude to the labor involved in artistic creation, and the growing commercialization of art. By understanding the materials and processes used in this portrait, we can appreciate how it reflects the changing social status of artists during this period, challenging the traditional notion of the artist as a lone genius, separate from the world of work.