Henri van Booven as a Young Priest — Karel de Nerée tot Babberich

Karel de Nerée tot Babberich. Painted 1900 - 1901.

De Nerée called this portrait of his writer friend ‘Van Booven’s priest image.’ By doing so he compared the author to a priest who makes visible a higher reality. At that time Van Booven was writing his novel Tropenwee (Tropical Agony), about his stay in the Belgian Congo, from which he had returned deathly ill. His ghostly white face looms from the purple-blue-green background, reminiscent of a stifling tropical night.

From the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

pastel (crayon), canvas, cardboard · Original size: 57 × 81.5 cm · Purchased with the support of the Knecht-Drenth Fonds/Rijksmuseum Fonds

Print: 57 × 81.5 cm, printed on Hahnemühle FineArt archival cotton paper. Museum-grade reproduction quality, true to the colours and detail of the original work.

Frame (optional): a custom-made wooden frame in a matte black finish, cut to the exact dimensions of this print, with an off-white passe-partout mat and protective glazing. Ready to hang.

Source: https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200752923. Image released under CC0 by the Rijksmuseum.