In April 2025, the Dordrechts Museum will organize a large exhibition on the grand pensionary of the Dutch Republic Johan de Witt (1625-1672). De Witt was, and still is, one of the most famous political figures in Dutch history. Not only because he served as the most important official of the Dutch Republic for almost twenty years, but also because of his brutal, politically motivated murder in 1672. The exhibition focuses not only on his political career, but also on his family life. De Witt was born and raised in Dordrecht, but many of his portraits have found their way abroad. The curators of the exhibition are currently looking for the following paintings they believe might have a close relationship to De Witt:
Edwaert Collier (1642-1707), A vanitas still life of a casket of jewels, a silver candlestick, a watch and a crown, with miniatures of Charles I and Henri IV, 1703
Jan de Baen(?) (1633-1702), Portrait of Johan de Witt, Collection Samuel Pepys
Caspar Netscher (1639-1684), Johan de Witt and Wendela Bicker, 1667, probably from the Northwick Collection
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these works, please get in touch with Marianne Eekhout, Curator of History at the Dordrechts Museum, via mfd.eekhout@dordrecht.nl.