Vermeulen Krieger

Breda, May 10, 2021 - During the restoration of a portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Vermeulen Krieger (Schleiden, March 11, 1782 - Etten, September 27, 1865), the restorer Masja Arnouts made a discovery that made us very happy. The 66 x 53 cm oil canvas was in need of a thorough maintenance. After removing the protection layer and old retouches, the original painting emerged. For example, the portrayed had a different attitude, many details of the uniform appeared and the button row of the uniform appeared to be in a different place. But more exciting was discovering the signature and dating of 1853. It turns out to be a canvas by Izaak Schouman (Dordrecht, 29 May 1801 - Zetten, 20 June 1878), son of the marine painter M. Schouman. He was trained by his father and was employed by the KMA as a hand drawing teacher from 1836 to 1866. Schouman was a well-known portrait painter who also painted the portraits of Prince Maurits and the generals Seelig and Delprat and of a Breda officer couple for the KMA. The canvas by Vermeulen Krieger hangs in the Blokhuis in the official reception room of the commander of the Dutch Defense Academy.