Portrait of Baron von Geusau
| Dating | 1903 |
|---|---|
| Material / technique | oil on panel |
| Dimensions | 21,5 x 17 cm |
| Literature | |
| Exhibitions | |
| Provenance | Alting von Geusau family, the Netherlands |
| Current residence | private property the Netherlands |
| Signature | b.r. with paint: HRI GOOVAERTS |
| Headings | label with inscription on reverse: Mr. Gerard Th. L. Baron von Geusau // geb. te Maastricht 9 Juni 1857 // aldaar overleden 17 Januari 1906. // In 1903 geschilderd. [LLM Gerard Th. L. Baron von Geusau // born in Maastricht 9 June 1857 // died there 17 January 1906. // Painted in 1903.] |
| Remarks | Baron Gérard von Geusau probably got to know Henri Goovaerts around 1895, when Goovaerts had just settled as a painter in Maastricht after his study trip in Southern Europe. In his studio in the cloister chapel at the De Bosquetplein, Von Geusau regularly came by to paint and to have a pleasant time. In the winter of 1896-1897, when Goovaerts temporarily works in Hamburg, Von Geusau writes to him: ‘I have often thought back to our pleasant evenings in your studio when we recited to Mina our repertoire of noble songs; how we have often laughed with that. Au fond I was glad that you were not here this winter, since I certainly would not have had the time to come to work and yet I would have come because it would have been so delightful.’ (Letter of January 2, 1897 in the Lily Goovaerts archive). A sketch of the ladies Helene van Borselen and Dorothée Colen, made by Goovaerts at Von Geusau's home (Collection Bonnefantenmuseum Maastricht), confirms the impression that the two men remained friends until the end of Von Geusau's life. Henri Goovaerts also painted the portraits of Von Geusau's mother (Dorothea de Ras) and his niece (Dorothée Colen). Gérard Theodoor Lamoraal Baron von Geusau (1857-1906) was known as a self-willed, beloved and socially committed man. He was born Theodoor Gérard van Geusau, but at the age of 32 he had his two first names exchanged by judgement, so from 1890 he was called Gérard Theodoor. By researching and writing down the genealogy of his family, he wanted to prove that he had the legal right to use the title of baron. He succeeded in this, which allowed him to officially call himself Baron von Geusau from 1890. His undertaking had also resulted in a voluminous book that, handwritten in French and richly illustrated, reveals the genealogy of the Von Geusau family (book in private property). Von Geusau had a PhD in law in Leiden, was a clerk to the court of Maastricht and, moreover, chamberlain of the Queen. He wrote several publications about the history of Maastricht and he devoted himself, among other things, to the social reintegration of prisoners (P.J. Blok, P.C. Molhuysen (ed.), Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek. Part 1(1911), pp. 933-934). |