Nicolaas Verkolje: Portrait of David van Mollem and his family (1740)

(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

A painting by the Dutch artist Nicolaas Verkolje (1673-1746). David van Mollem (1670-1746) was a wealthy silk merchant who owned a summer residence called "Zijdebalen" along the river Vecht. David and his family are shown here in the garden of this summer residence which was designed by Verkolje. David himself is the man sitting on the left. The man sitting in the center is Jacob van Sydervelt (1696- ?), the son in law of David. Jacob was married with Maria van Oosterwijck (the woman sitting on the right). The two older children between David and Jacob are Jacob's children from a previous marriage with David's daughter Jacoba (died in 1735). The two young children next to Maria are Jacob's children with Maria. Portrait from 1740.