Gerard ter Borch (II): Portrait of Jacob de Graeff in the uniform of an officer (1670-1681)

(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands)

This is a portrait of Jacob de Graeff, 20th Lord of the Free and high Fief Ilpendam and Purmerland, (1642-1690), a member of the powerfull 'de Graeff' family. Together with the Bicker family they controlled Amsterdam and with that Holland for almost 50 years. Jacob was a son of Cornelis de Graeff (who is depicted on several paintings) and was a member of the city council of Amsterdam and a political advisor to his cousin Johan De Witt, Grand Pensionary of Holland. After the fall of Johan de Witt in 1672 the family was removed from the political scene. Jacob was one of the richest persons of Holland, an art collector and a patron to several artists. This portrait is painted somewhere between 1670 and 1681.