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Gosling Posthumus Paintings: The 2 Most Famous, Through a Gallery's Eye
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 2 works by Gosling Posthumus in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Gosling Posthumus's most famous painting is Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend) (1830), whose original hangs in the Fries Museum, Leeuwarden. Of the 2 works by Gosling Posthumus in our catalog, the gallery presents the 2 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
1800 – 1832, Dokkum
Most works: Fries Museum
The gallery's top 10 Gosling Posthumus paintings
The museums that keep Gosling Posthumus's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Gosling Posthumus | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Fries Museum |
Leeuwarden | 2 | Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend), Portrait of Maria Jans Uurhaan (1783-1829) |
Gosling Posthumus, the signature paintings of each year
Gosling Posthumus's dated originals on this page fall within 2 years, 1829 to 1830: the gallery shows the most famous of each.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
Gosling Posthumus's paintings: the gallery answers
Which Gosling Posthumus painting is the most famous of all?Reveal the answer
Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend) (1830).
How old was Gosling Posthumus on completing Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend)?Reveal the answer
30 years old: Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend) dates from 1830, and Gosling Posthumus was born in 1800.
How many works did Gosling Posthumus create?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 2 works by Gosling Posthumus, dated from 1829 to 1830.
Where do Gosling Posthumus's most famous originals hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Fries Museum (Leeuwarden). The museum table above lists them all.
Which are Gosling Posthumus's earliest and latest famous works?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Portrait of Maria Jans Uurhaan (1783-1829) (1829) and the latest Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend) (1830).
Which Gosling Posthumus originals does the Fries Museum hold?Reveal the answer
Portrait of een familie, volgens opgave van de eigenaar voorstellende v.l.n.r. Saapke Posthumus Goslings, waarschijnlijk de schilder zelf (met pet), de dochter Aafke (staande) en de dochter Saapkje (zittend) and Portrait of Maria Jans Uurhaan (1783-1829): the Fries Museum, Leeuwarden holds 2 of the works on this page.
Gosling Posthumus: the artist
A Life in Dokkum
The air in Dokkum carries the weight of the early nineteenth century. On 7 November 1800, Gosling Posthumus enters the world as the son of Tjeerd Posthumus, a man balancing the roles of merchant, pharmacist, and municipal council member, and Saapke Goslings. The setting is stable, rooted in the local commerce and civic structure of the Netherlands.
The trajectory shifts in 1824. Alongside his teacher, Otto de Boer, Posthumus leaves the familiar borders of his home for a study trip through France and Italy. This movement across Europe brings new light and perspective to his developing eye. He absorbs the landscapes and the classical influences of the south before returning to the Netherlands around 1830.
The Brush and the Subject
Posthumus finds his rhythm in the quiet observation of his surroundings. His work settles into two primary modes: the capturing of the natural world through landscapes and the recording of faces through portraits. There is a specific focus on the local, seen in works like the 1829 oil on canvas portrait of Maria Jans Uurhaan.
His technique relies on the steady application of oil, a medium capable of holding the subtle details of a sitter's expression or the shifting atmosphere of a Dutch scene. His output includes:
- Landscapes that reflect his travels and his home.
- Portraits such as those of the Posthumus family and Johan van Wicheren.
- Specific character studies, including Maria Uurhaan in traditional Fries costume.
A Brief Departure
The timeline of his life is short. The same town that saw his birth, Dokkum, becomes the site of his end on 15 November 1832. He remains unmarried, leaving behind a body of work held in collections like the Fries Museum. His presence in the Dutch art scene remains tied to this specific era of early nineteenth-century regional painting.