In this artwork, how is the Description discussed?
The painting is a portrait of Dom Miguel de Castro, a cousin of the Count of Sonho, who was sent as an envoy to the Dutch Republic to ask the Dutch stadtholder for mediation in a conflict the count had with King Garcia II of Kongo. The Dutch West India Company had conquered Loango-Angola in 1641 from the Portuguese, and they had heavily relied on the assistance of the Count of Sonho.Dom Miguel de Castro travelled with a few servants to the Dutch Republic via Dutch Brazil, where they had been received by Governor John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen. On 19 June 1643, Dom Miguel de Castro arrived in Flushing, where he was received by three directors of the Zealand chamber of the Dutch West India Company, and who provided him with accommodation in Middelburg. Eventually he was sailed by yacht to The Hague on 2 July 1643, where he had an audience with stadtholder Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.During his two-week stay in Middelburg, the directors ordered six paintings from Jasper or Jeronimus Becx, comprising two portraits of Dom Miguel de Castro, one portrait each of both his servants, a painting "in Portuguese clothes," and a full-length painting in "Congolese dress." Dom Miguel de Castro requested to take one of his portraits back to Africa. The paintings were paid for in May 1645.After John Maurice resigned his governorship of Brazil in early 1644, he visited Middelburg in October 1644 to settle his affairs with the Zealand chamber of the Dutch West India Company. At this occasion, he was given the portrait of Dom Miguel de Castro and that of two of his servants.
Middelburg Sonho Loango-Angola The Hague Portuguese Dutch Republic Dutch Brazil Jasper or Jeronimus Becx Flushing Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange Dutch West India Company Garcia II of Kongo stadtholder John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen