Cornelis Koning

Cornelis Koning was an artist active during the first half of the seventeenth century, with documented production spanning the period from 1608 through 1640. His surviving oeuvre consists primarily of prints, encompassing both formal portraiture and genre scenes depicting contemporary social life.

Koning’s work illustrates an engagement with prominent historical and religious figures of the era, seen in formal studies such as Portret van Franciscus Gomarus, Portret van Menno Simons, and Portret van Werner Helmich. Demonstrating a broader thematic range, the artist also captured interiors focused on entertainment, notably in compositions titled Interior with Dancing Couples and Musicians and Interior with Musicians and Dancing Couples.

The importance of the artist’s output is affirmed by the holdings of major international museums. Nine of Cornelis Koning’s works are represented in significant institutional collections, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. The availability of these historical works, often distributed as high-quality prints, ensures continued access to museum-quality representations for both research and public appreciation. Many of these historical images are now available in the public domain.