Portret van dominee Andreas Lutgerus Kolver 1780

Leendert Brasser created this portrait of Reverend Andreas Lutgerus Kolver using etching and engraving techniques. The cleric is framed by stone-like masonry and garland. Portraits in the Dutch Republic were often commissioned by the sitter. As such they offer a glimpse into how the subject wished to be seen. Kolver’s presentation speaks to the social and religious values of the time. Clad in the somber attire befitting his vocation, Kolver is portrayed as a figure of pious authority. He stands behind what appears to be a pulpit, clutching a book, presumably the Bible, his index finger extended as if mid-sermon. The garland around the frame suggests esteem and reverence, indicating both his status within the church and his personal character. But how might Kolver's parishioners have viewed this image? Did it inspire devotion, or simply reinforce the existing social hierarchies? These are some of the questions this portrait invites us to consider.