Gerrit de Graeff was a scion of the
De Graeff family and a son of
Gerrit de Graeff (III.) van Zuid-Polsbroek and Emilia Henriette Stadlander. At the age of 17 years he inherited the Free Lordships (Vrijheerlijkheiden) of
Zuid-Polsbroek and
Purmerland and Ilpendam from his father. De Graeff had seven children through his 1827 marriage with Carolina Ursulina Stephania Engels (1795-1864): • Emilia Henrietta Maria de Graeff (1828-1839), died young • Gerrit Arnold Theodoor de Graeff (1831–1889), founded a family branch in South-Africa • Carolina Frederica Christina de Graeff (1832–1885), married Gustaaf Adolf Croockewit •
Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek (1833–1916), diplomat who laid the foundation stone for modern Dutch and European diplomacy in Japan • Christina Jacoba de Graeff (1836-1842), died young • Frederik Lodewijk de Graeff (1837-1918), major
hussar, lieutenant-colonel •
Gijsbert Carel Rutger Reinier de Graeff (1838-1923), major Infanterie in
Dutch East Indies, lieutenant-colonel, knight
Military Order of William The family of Gerrit de Graeff lived at
Herengracht in a mansion, now the
Tassenmuseum Hendrikje, at castle
Ilpenstein and at the country estate
Bronstee near
Heemstede. At Ilpenstein, De Graeff owned a big art collection, including paintings from
Rembrandt van Rijn,
Gerard Ter Borch and
Jacob van Ruisdael. The collection included some famous paintings like
Catharina Hooft with her Nurse, painted by
Frans Hals, and the
Pickenoys representative Marriage portraits from
Cornelis de Graeff and Catharina Hooft. Both now can be seen at the
Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. After De Graeff's death, the two high Lordships were sold to Dirk de Jongh.
Coat of arms , 2023) The coat of arms of Gerrit de Graeff is quartered with a
heart shield and it shows the following symbols: • heart shield shows the three silver rhombuses on red (originally from the family
Van Woerdern van Vliet) of the
High Lordship Zuid-Polsbroek • field 1 (left above) shows the silver shovel on red of their paternal ancestors, the
Herren von Graben • field 2 (right above) shows the silver swan on blue of the Fief Vredenhof or that one (
Waterland) of one of their maternal ancestors, the
De Grebber • field 3 (left below) shows the silver goose in blue of
Purmerland (
High Lordship Purmerland and Ilpendam) • field 4 (right below) shows the red and black lions on gold (the arms of the
County of Holland) for
Ilpendam (High Lordship Purmerland and Ilpendam) above a blue area • shield holders are two silver swans • helmet covers in red and silver • helm adornment shows an upright silver spade with ostrich feathers (Herren von Graben) • motto: MORS SCEPTRA LIGONIBUS AEQUAT (DEATH MAKES SEPTRES AND HOES EQUAL)
Titles ==Notes==