Godard van Reede (1588-1648), lord of Nederhorst. Delegate of the province of Utrecht at the peace conference at Münster (1646-48)

Gerard ter Borch painted this portrait of Godard van Reede, Utrecht's delegate at the Peace of Münster negotiations (1646-48), on copper — a support favored for small, high-quality works with a particularly fine surface. Van Reede was one of the negotiators who helped end the Thirty Years' War and formally recognize Dutch independence from Spain, making this a portrait of a man at a defining moment of Dutch history. Ter Borch depicted multiple Münster delegates in small, intimate copper portraits that together form a collective documentation of the peace conference that shaped Europe.

Copper support allows the finest possible execution — ter Borch's meticulous technique achieves extraordinary detail in the face and lace collar. The paint surface is exceptionally smooth, with gradations of tone barely visible in the flesh. The small format rewards close examination; every stroke has been placed with deliberate precision.