Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 127 works by Jacob de Wit in our catalogue
In short
The Epic Poem (1743) is the Jacob de Wit painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Mauritshuis, The Hague. After it, the eye goes to Holy Family and Trinity (1726) and Allegory on shipping (1732). Among the 127 works of Jacob de Wit in our catalog, these 100 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
A Symphony of Myth and Technique: Jacob de Wit’s “The Epic Poem” This magnificent ceiling painting, originating from a residence in Leiden (Rapenburg 48) since 1912, stands as a testament to the artistic prowess of the Dutch Baroque era. More than just decoration—it's an immersive experience—a carefully orchestrated illusion crafted by Jacob de Wit himself, arguably the foremost expert in this genre during his time. Its enduring presence within the…
In this 1726 oil painting, the Holy Family is situated within a tranquil landscape. Mary sits on the left, her form draped in a red robe, cradling the infant Jesus upon her lap. The child is dressed in a blue garment that provides a point of color against the surrounding earth tones. To the right, Joseph stands with a hand placed on the child's shoulder, wearing a brown cloak. Above…
The painting presents a central female figure seated within a vessel or chariot, positioned amidst a swirling arrangement of clouds and smaller figures known as putti. The composition follows a diagonal upward motion, driven by the fluid lines of the drapery and the limbs of the figures. A strong, directional light source illuminates the woman's torso and face, creating a sharp contrast against the deep, atmospheric shadows that occupy the…
Pope Gregory the Great, Church Father1729 · Amsterdam Museum
12
Augustine, Church Father1729 · Amsterdam Museum
13
Bonaventure, Schoolmaster1729 · Amsterdam Museum
14
Chimneypiece from Prins Hendrikkade 1421732 · Amsterdam Museum
15
Zephyr and Flora1723 · Toledo Museum of Art
16
The juxtaposition of the Old and the New Testament (1 Cor. 10:6)1726 · Museum Catharijneconvent
17
Allegorical Figure: Water1725 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
18
Allegorical Figure: Air1725 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
19
Allegorical Figure: Fire1725 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
20
Allegorical Figure: Earth1725 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
21
Gods in the sky, ceiling1725 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
22
The preacher Thomas of Aquinas1729 · Amsterdam Museum
23
Jerome, church father1729 · Amsterdam Museum
24
Apollo in the clouds with Minerva and the nine muses1731 · Rijksmuseum
25
Jupiter, Disguised as a Shepherd, Seducing Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory1727 · Rijksmuseum
26
Jupiter, Disguised as Diana, Seducing the Nymph Callisto1727 · Rijksmuseum
27
Resurrection of Christ1735 · Museum Catharijneconvent
28
The Holy Name of Mary Encircled by Cherub Heads1741 · Museum Catharijneconvent
29
Side Panel of Ceiling "The Dawn and the Seasons"1744 · Amsterdam Museum
30
Side Panel of Ceiling "The Dawn and the Seasons"1744 · Amsterdam Museum
31
Side Panel of Ceiling "The Dawn and the Seasons"1744 · Amsterdam Museum
32
Side Panel of Ceiling "The Dawn and the Seasons"1744 · Amsterdam Museum
33
Abraham and the Three Angels1737 · Museum Catharijneconvent
34
Allegory: Faith, Hope and Love1743 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
35
Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac1737 · Royal Palace Amsterdam
36
The Pastoral Song1743 · Mauritshuis
37
The Elegy1743 · Mauritshuis
38
Apollo Surrounded by the Nine Muses1743 · Mauritshuis
39
Allegory of autumn1737
40
Ceiling pieces "Day chases the night away" and "The four seasons"1744 · Amsterdam Museum
41
The personification of Amsterdam as a lady1741 · Amsterdam Museum
42
Autumn, Jacob de Wit, 17401740 · Rijksmuseum
43
Allegory of Government: Wisdom Defeating Discord1738 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
44
The resurrection of Christ1750 · Museum Catharijneconvent
45
Trompe l'oeil of Boaz peaking to Ruth (Ruth 8), flanked by orphan girls from the Amsterdam City Orphanage ' Maagdenhuis'1745 · Museum Catharijneconvent
46
The Baptism of the Eunuch1748 · Amsterdam Museum
47
painting1749 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
48
Allegory of painting - "Pictura"1752 · Amsterdam Museum
49
Allegory on the Writing of History1754 · Amsterdam Museum
50
Virgin and Child Appearing to Saint Gregory the Great1751
51
Saint Augustine1751
52
Saint Jerome1751
53
Saint Gregory of Nazianzus1751
54
Saint Basilius1751
55
Temptation of Christ1751
56
Last Supper1751
57
David Slaying Goliath1751
58
Ascension1751
59
Resurrection of Christ1751
60
Raising of the Cross1751
61
Frontispiece with a Portrait Medallion of the Artist Peter Paul Rubens1751
62
Abraham and Isaac1751
63
Abraham and Melchisidek1751
64
Elijah1751
65
Saint Athanasius1751
66
Esther before Ahasuerus1751
67
Saint Catherine1751
68
Saint Barbara1751
69
Saint Cecilia1751
70
Saint Lucy1751
71
Solomon Receiving the Queen of Sheba1751
72
The nativity (Gospel of Luke 2: 1-21)1750
73
Saint Margaret1751
74
Name of Mary1750
75
Saint John Chrysostom1751
76
The name of Jesus1750
77
Saint Mary Magdalene1750
78
St. Anne and the Virgin1750
79
Assumption of the virgin1750
80
The adoration of the Magi (Gospel of Matthew 2:11)1750
81
Moses in prayer between Aaron and Hur (Exodus 17: 9-13)1750
82
Autumn1751
83
Allegory of the Four Seasons - Autumn1751 · Staatliche Museen
84
The Comedy1743 · Mauritshuis
85
Justice1837 · Museum Flehite
86
Allegory, Minerva with Three Putti1750 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
87
The annunciation1723 · Rijksmuseum
88
Allegory of the Arts1742 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
89
Portrait of Sir Isaac Newton1750 · Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
90
Diana and her companions returning from the hunt (?)1731 · Fondation Custodia
91
Adoration of the Shepherds (detail)1726 · Amstelkring Museum
92
Winter, Jacob de Wit, 17401740 · Rijksmuseum
93
Paris and Oenone, Jacob de Wit, 17371737 · Rijksmuseum
94
Putti with Mirrors, Jacob de Wit, 1725 - 17441744 · Rijksmuseum
95
Summer, Jacob de Wit, 17401740 · Rijksmuseum
96
Putti Enacting an Allegory of Summer1739 · Kingston Lacy
97
Autumn, Jacob de Wit, 17461746 · Rijksmuseum
98
Saint Philip Baptizes the Eunuch, Jacob de Wit, 17481748 · Rijksmuseum
99
Allegory of the Four Seasons - Spring1751 · Staatliche Museen
100
Allegory of the Four Seasons - Winter1751 · Staatliche Museen
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Jacob de Wit | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Amsterdam Museum |
Amsterdam | 16 | Ambrose, Church Father, Pope Gregory the Great, Church Father, Augustine, Church Father |
 Rijksmuseum |
Amsterdam | 14 | Allegory on shipping, Design for a ceiling piece with Aeneas and the four seasons in the corners, Apollo in the clouds with Minerva and the nine muses |
 Museum Catharijneconvent |
Utrecht | 9 | Moses and the tables of the law, Aaron, Crucified Christ |
 Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen |
Rotterdam | 9 | Allegorical Figure: Water, Allegorical Figure: Air, Allegorical Figure: Fire |
 Mauritshuis |
The Hague | 5 | The Epic Poem, The Pastoral Song, The Elegy |
 Staatliche Museen |
Kassel | 3 | Allegory of the Four Seasons - Autumn, Allegory of the Four Seasons - Spring, Allegory of the Four Seasons - Winter |
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 4 | Allegory of Government: Wisdom Defeating Discord, Allegory of the Arts |
 Amstelkring Museum |
Amsterdam | 3 | Holy Family and Trinity, Adoration of the Shepherds (detail) |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In this 1726 oil painting, the Holy Family is situated within a tranquil landscape. Mary sits on the left, her form draped in a red robe, cradling the infant Jesus upon her lap. The child is dressed in a blue garment that provides a point of color against the surrounding earth tones. To the right, Joseph stands with a hand placed on the child's shoulder, wearing a brown cloak. Above…
The painting presents a central female figure seated within a vessel or chariot, positioned amidst a swirling arrangement of clouds and smaller figures known as putti. The composition follows a diagonal upward motion, driven by the fluid lines of the drapery and the limbs of the figures. A strong, directional light source illuminates the woman's torso and face, creating a sharp contrast against the deep, atmospheric shadows that occupy the…
A Symphony of Myth and Technique: Jacob de Wit’s “The Epic Poem” This magnificent ceiling painting, originating from a residence in Leiden (Rapenburg 48) since 1912, stands as a testament to the artistic prowess of the Dutch Baroque era. More than just decoration—it's an immersive experience—a carefully orchestrated illusion crafted by Jacob de Wit himself, arguably the foremost expert in this genre during his time. Its enduring presence within the…
The Epic Poem (1743), Mauritshuis, The Hague. Holy Family and Trinity (1726) and Allegory on shipping (1732) come next.
48 years old: The Epic Poem dates from 1743, and Jacob de Wit was born in 1695.
The Epic Poem, Holy Family and Trinity, Allegory on shipping, Moses and the tables of the law, Aaron, Crucified Christ, the music, Venus, Bacchus and Ceres with the sleeping Amor, Design for a ceiling piece with Aeneas and the four seasons in the corners and Ambrose, Church Father. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 127 works by Jacob de Wit, dated from 1710 to 1754.
Mostly in Amsterdam Museum (Amsterdam), Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) and Museum Catharijneconvent (Utrecht). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1750s: 41 of the 100 works on this page were made then, The resurrection of Christ among them.
On this page, the earliest is Moses and the tables of the law (1710) and the latest Allegory on the Writing of History (1754).
Mythology (3), Allegory (3) and Woman (3), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 5 of the 100 works on this page.
Baroque and Rococo, judging by the originals on this page.
Ambrose, Church Father, Pope Gregory the Great, Church Father and Augustine, Church Father: the Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam holds 16 of the works on this page.
In the golden age of Dutch Rococo, few names evoke the architectural splendor of the eighteenth century quite like Jacob de Wit. Born in Amsterdam in 1695, De Wit emerged not merely as a painter, but as a visionary decorator who transformed the very bones of historic buildings. His journey began under the rigorous tutelage of masters such as Albert van Spiers and Jacob van Hal, mentors who provided him with a sturdy foundation in Baroque principles. However, it was his ability to infuse these classical structures with the light, airy, and whimsical essence of the Rococo style that would eventually define his legacy. By 1714, his admission into the prestigious St. Luke's Guild in Amsterdam signaled the arrival of a formidable talent destined to shape the interiors of the Dutch elite.
De Wit’s artistic evolution was profoundly shaped by his pilgrimage to Antwerp. It was here that he encountered the monumental legacy of Peter Paul Rubens, specifically within the breathtaking ceilings of the Carolus Borromeuskerk. This encounter was transformative; rather than merely observing, De Wit meticulously documented these masterpieces through a series of watercolors. This endeavor, later published in 1751, did more than showcase his technical precision—it established him as a vital custodian of artistic heritage, bridging the gap between the heavy grandeur of the Flemish Baroque and the delicate elegance of his own era.
What truly distinguishes De Wit from his contemporaries is his unparalleled mastery of grisaille. While many Rococo artists sought to dazzle the eye with a riot of pastel pigments, De Wit found profound expression in the subtle manipulation of monochrome. By working within a restricted palette of greys and muted tones, he mastered the art of tonal gradation, creating illusions of depth and sculptural form that seemed to breathe within their architectural settings. This technique allowed his ceiling paintings and door panels to integrate seamlessly with stone and plaster, lending an ethereal, almost ghostly quality to his compositions.
His ability to command light and shadow turned flat surfaces into windows of spiritual and narrative depth. Whether depicting the seasonal cycles in works like Autumn and Spring and Summer, or portraying sacred moments such as Saint Philip Baptizes the Eunuch, De Wit utilized light to guide the viewer's emotion. His work possessed a unique architectural rhythm, where every brushstroke served to enhance the structural grandeur of the rooms he adorned, making him the preeminent interior artist of his generation.
The influence of Jacob de Wit extended far beyond his own brush, as he cultivated a school of artists who would carry his stylistic vision into the next generation. His studio became a crucible of talent, producing notable pupils including:
Through these disciples, the delicate balance of De Wit’s technique—the marriage of Baroque weight with Rococo grace—was preserved. Today, his works remain as enduring testaments to a period of immense decorative opulence. To walk through the historic halls of Amsterdam or Haarlem is to encounter the ghost of De Wit’s genius, where his monochrome masterpieces continue to dance with the light, reminding us of a time when painting was an inseparable part of the very air we breathe within a room.
