# Johan Melchior Kemper (1776-1824), Jurist and Statesman

- By: David Pièrre Giottino Humbert de Superville (The Hague, 1770–1849)
- Date: 1815
- Medium: panel, oil paint (paint)
- Classification: painting
- Dimensions: depth 7.3 cm
- Credit line: Gift of Jonkvrouw E. Kemper
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/SK-A-656--ff8bbbf1a34930287c6a6b62f1814d20)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/web/3ca1b94f0a2ba01bb3f96e8f7ea9dc68.jpg
- Who can see it: Teens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Joan Melchior Kemper (1776 - 1824) by D.P.G. Humbert de Superville, c. 1815. Former Patriot Kemper was the author of the proclamation with which Prince William of Orange presented himself as 'William I, sovereign lord' on 2 December 1813, a few days after arriving in the Netherlands. In it William I promised a constitution guaranteeing the freedom of his subjects. As a professor the jurist Kemper was the mentor of many later politicians such as Thorbecke and Groen van Prinsterer. In 1817 Kemper became a member of the Lower House. Kemper's decorations are the symbols of Commander of the Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw. The order was established in 1815. Kemper was a personal friend of the painter. Humbert gave Kemper's daughters drawing lessons. And Kemper had ensured that Humbert was appointed lecturer at Leiden University in 1814.