Portret van Hendricks Haecks 1698 - 1779

This is Johannes de Groot the Younger's 'Portret van Hendricks Haecks', a print held in the Rijksmuseum. In the Dutch Golden Age, the proliferation of portraiture spoke to a culture increasingly defined by trade and civic identity. Haecks’s identity is unknown, but he would have inhabited a milieu that valued a sober likeness reflecting social standing. The print is itself an echo of an earlier portrait, demonstrating the way that established institutions would shape the production and reception of art. De Groot’s print offers us a glimpse into the visual world of 18th-century Holland, one where the graphic arts played a crucial role in circulating images and ideas. The Rijksmuseum’s rich collection and archives can tell us more about the role of prints in shaping social life. Appreciating this work demands that we recognize the institutional structures that frame its creation, distribution, and ongoing life.