Margaretha van Haexbergen (1614–1676)

Gerard ter Borch was one of the most compelling Dutch artists of the seventeenth century, recognized then as now for his handsome portraits and refined genre subjects. These splendid pendant portraits of Jan van Duren and his wife, Margaretha van Haexbergen (1975.1.141 and 1975.1.142), rank among the most important works by the artist in any American collection. Jan van Duren, a member of the elite ruling class of Deventer, poses in the rich attire of a prosperous regent, while his stately wife is no less suitably clad. Ter Borch presents his patrons in a setting devoid of detail: a simple velvet covered table and fringed velvet chair accompany the sitters. The restrained setting contrasts with and enhances Ter Borch's precisely painted subjects, dignified and ennobled by his sensitive brush.