Mayor Wolter Wolthers (1696-1700 and 1703-1712)

About this artwork.

Wolter Wolthers (1630 - 1714) was a regent from Groningen. He studied in Groningen and Franeker and obtained his doctorate in both law at the university in 1657. He started his career as a lawyer in Groningen. As a newcomer in the city he managed to acquire a position in the elite. In doing so, he laid the foundation for the position of his descendants, several members of which played a prominent role in Groningen politics, including his son Harm Wolthers, who was mayor of Groningen several times. During the period from 1663 until his death in 1714, Wolthers was, among other things, juror of Groningen, drost of the Woldoldambt, councilor of Groningen, member of the Provincial Executive, member of the chief men's chamber and mayor of Groningen.

This early eighteenth-seventeenth-century portrait of the mayor was painted by Hermannus (Herman) Collenius (1650 - 1723). Hermannus Collenius often painted personifications, mythical figures and religious images. He painted in Groningen for over thirty years, including the highly regarded history paintings for the Groningen city and provincial authorities. Over the years Collenius was allowed to paint many portraits of members of wealthy families in the city and surrounding area. The striking thing about these portraits is that in the background you can usually see an Italian fantasy landscape and an orange-colored sky. Italian sunsets. This way you can see whether a portrait is of Collenius or not. This portrait shows the influence of painter Aert van Gelder (1645 - 1727), one of Rembrandt's last pupils, who continued the painting style of his teacher from his last period until the 18th century.

Herman Collenius' works eventually ended up in many different places, they are part of private collections and museum collections such as the Groninger Museum, Loo Palance and Museum Mesdag in The Hague. Outside our national borders they adorn rooms in Newby Hall North Yorkshire England and New York United States. Collenius gave Groningen allure.

There are three streets in the Netherlands named after Herman Collenius: one in Leek, one in Uithuizen, and one in Groningen. The Herman Colleniusstraat in Groningen is known for one of the two water towers in Groningen (although it is formally located on the Hofstede de Grootkade).

Facts & Figures.

• Artist(s)
  Herman Collenius

• Year of creation
  Unknown

• Dimensions (in cm)
  95x81

• Collection
  Town Hall Collection

• Technic
  Oil paint on canvas