Portrait of Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck and Catharina Nahuys with their Children

From the Rijksmuseum record

For nearly seven years, Rutger Schimmelpenninck promoted the interests of the Batavian Republic in Paris and London. As a patriot, he championed democracy. He and his wife Catharina Nahuys formed a successful ambassadorial duo. The portrait demonstrates their closeness and their love for nature and their children, Catharina and Gerrit. Initially, Catharina leaned on her husband’s shoulder with both arms in a more intimate pose, which the artist adjusted while painting.