Memorial Portrait of Moses ter Borch

Gerard ter Borch (II), Gesina ter Borch, 1667 - 1669

Moses died in 1667 during the storming of Fort Languard near Felixstowe in England. Not long thereafter Gerard and Gesina painted this picture in memory of their youngest brother. Gerard painted Moses’ portrait, Gesina the background and the objects. These allude to Moses’ heroic death and the transience of life, such as time (the pocket watch), death (the skull), eternity (ivy on the rocks) and loyalty (the dogs).

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-4908
  • Dimensionsheight 76.2 cm x width 56.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on canvas

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"Moses ter Borch" by Gesina ter Borch

Portret van Moses ter Borch

Gesina ter Borch, c. 1670

Portret van Moses ter Borch

Moses op de kust bij Harwich

Gesina ter Borch (signed by artist), in or after 1667 - in or before c. 1687

Moses op de kust bij Harwich

Portret van een vrouw

Gesina ter Borch, c. 1670

Portret van een vrouw

more by Gerard ter Borch (II)

Gallant Conversation, Known as ‘The Paternal Admonition’

Gerard ter Borch (II), c. 1654

Gallant Conversation, Known as ‘The Paternal Admonition’

Woman at a Mirror

Gerard ter Borch (II), c. 1652

Woman at a Mirror

Helena van der Schalcke

Gerard ter Borch (II), c. 1648

Helena van der Schalcke

Woman in Peasant Costume

Gerard ter Borch (II), c. 1650 - c. 1660

Woman in Peasant Costume

The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster

Gerard ter Borch (II), 1648

The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster

Ratification of the Peace of Münster between Spain and the Dutch Republic in the Town Hall of Münster, 15 May 1648

copy after Gerard ter Borch (II), 1648 - 1670

Ratification of the Peace of Münster between Spain and the Dutch Republic in the Town Hall of Münster, 15 May 1648

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Memorial Portrait of Moses ter Borch
    • Memorial Portrait of Moses ter Borch (1645-1667)

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-4908

  • Description

    Portret ten voeten uit. Moses ter Borch is gekleed in zijn militair tenue. Hij staat, leunend op een wandelstok voor een gedeeltelijk begroeide rots. Links is iets van de achtergrond te zien. Om hem heen zijn diverse dieren en gebruiksvoorwerpen afgebeeld die naar zijn militaire carrière verwijzen of trouw en vergankelijkheid symboliseren (honden, schedel, wapenrusting, horloge, slang etc.).

  • Inscriptions / marks

    signature and date: ‘G. ter Borch’

Creation

  • Creation

    • painter: Gerard ter Borch (II)
    • painter: Gesina ter Borch

  • Dating

    1667 - 1669

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on canvas

  • Dimensions

    height 76.2 cm x width 56.5 cm

This work is about

  • Person

  • Subject

  • Place

  • Period

    1667

Exhibitions

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Purchased with the support of the Rijksmuseum-Stichting

  • Acquisition

    purchase 1995-01-12

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    ? testament Gesina ter Borch (1630-90), Zwolle 16 (?) April 1690, (‘En zullen al mijn conterfeitsels, en van broeder Moses en van vader en moeder en bestevader en bestemoeder, … niet verkoft, maar voor de kinderen bewaart moeten worden’);{Houck 1899, p. 156.} …; collection Thomas Jefferson Bryan (1802-70), New York, 1853;{Coll. cat. New York 1853, p. 11, no. 147 (‘portrait of William, Prince of Orange and King of England’) Coll. cat. New York 1853b, p. 88, no. 147 (‘William, Prince of Orange’).} by whom donated to The New York Historical Society, 2 April 1867; periodically on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, c. 1979-94;{McNeil Kettering 1995, p. 317.} sale The New York Historical Society, New York (Sotheby’s), 12 January 1995, no. 33, $310,000 to the museum, with support from the Rijksmuseum-Stichting

  • Remarks

    Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

    • E.W. Moes, 'Gerard ter Borch en zijn familie', Oud Holland (1886), p. 156 (ill.), p. 162-164.
    • Documentatiemap Schilderijen: correspondentie over de aankoop.
    • Hofstede de Groot, vol. 5, p. 92, nr. 276 [als mogelijk Willem III].
    • The Burlington Magazine (nov. 1996), p. 779 + afb.
    • J. Verbeek, 'Tekeningen van de familie Terborch', Antiek (1966) nr. 2, p. 37, 39 + afb.
    • A.A. Turner, Lights and Shadows of New York Picture Galleries. Forty photographs, New York 1864, p. XVI [William of Orange. G. Terburg. In the Gallery of Thomas J. Bryan, Esq. (Frick coll number: O31//Y87)].
    • Bryan Companion Catalogue 1853, p. 88, nr. 147.
    • Kunstschrift, 2005, nr. 3 [gewijd aan Ter Borch]
    • Catalogue of the Bryan Gallery of Christian Art, New York 1853, p. 11, nr. 147 [als portret van Willem III].
    • Catalogue NY Historical Society 1915, p. 79, nr. B-182.
    • Mogelijk M.E. Houck, Mededelingen...ter Borch, Verslagen...Overijsselsch Regt en Geschiedenis 1899, p. 156.
    • S.J. Gudlaugsson, 'Einige Ausnahmefälle in der Bildnisgestaltung Ter Borches', Festschrift Friedrich Winckler (1959), p. 309, ill. 5.

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