Abraham van Lennep (1627-1678) was known as a lover of the arts and sciences, and Netscher included in his portraits attributes that leave no room for doubt as to the sitter's interests. The distinguished Van Lennep, wearing a satin-trimmed dressing gown, points emphatically at a valuable object in his collection - one of the 34 books containing mainly Italian prints and drawings. The classical statuary - a head of Seneca and a statue of Homer - refers to Van Lennep's interest in antiquity.
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