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Paulus Justus Determeyer Weslingh by Julius Quinkhard

Julius Quinkhard (1734-1795) was trained as an artist by his father Jan Maurits Quinkhard, a famous portrait painter in Amsterdam. Julius followed in his father's footsteps, painting portraits and figures. He also made drawings from paintings of old masters, etchings and engravings. Shortly after completing his training with his father, Julius Quinkhard turned his back on the world of art and began a career in commerce as a merchant and agent.

This painting from 1765 shows Paulus Justus Determeyer Weslingh (1730-1798) sitting down. Determeyer Weslingh owned a medium-sized trading company in Amsterdam, dealing in stockfish. Later, the company switched to the money and exchange business.

Standing beside Determeyer Weslingh, a servant is handing him a document. The interior was probably arranged especially for the painting. Tell-tale clues are the Smyrna carpet which is far too large for the room and was apparently cut to fit into it. It is also highly unlikely that the grisaille with the angels and the caduceus used to hang on the back wall of Determeyer's office. The grisaille would have looked far more at home above a fireplace or a door.

The empty chair on the other side of the table is something of a mystery because it appears to have been placed there for somebody. Similarly, the coffeepot and the two empty cups indicate that somebody was taking coffee with Determeyer. An X-ray in later years did indeed reveal that the person sitting in the chair had been painted over. From underneath a layer of paint, Alida Maria Issendorp appeared. She had married Determeyer Weslingh in 1756. To this day it remains a mystery why she was painted over.

The painting came into the bank's possession in 1911 after Rotterdamsche Bankvereeniging (Robaver) took over the Amsterdam bankers Determeyer Weslingh. Thanks to this take-over, Robaver was admitted to the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.