Portrait of Prince William of Orange

portrait

Prince William of Orange engaged Adriaen Thomasz Key to paint this portrait of him in 1579. Further commissions ensued, and the painter produced at least two comparable versions of it. This likeness of the prince has become iconic, which is due primarily to the fact that he is not depicted as a warrior or powerful ruler, but rather as a burgher.

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About the Artist

Adriaen Thomasz Key

1544 – 1589

Key, family of Flemish painters best known for their portraiture. Willem Key (c. 1515-68) was a pupil of Lambert Lombard c. 1540 in Liège. In 1542 he was made a master of the Antwerp Guild, where he spent the rest of his working life. His nephew, Adriaen Thomasz. Key (c. 1544 - after 1589), was probably his pupil. The latter became a master of the Antwerp Guild in 1568. Both artists were highly regarded in their day and did assured and solid portraits of famous people. Their religious works are less well known, and many of Willem's are known to have perished at the hands of iconoclasts.

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