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Head of an African

Unknown

1650

From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst

Dominant colour

Head of an African is a 1650 by Unknown, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1650
Where can I see it?: Statens Museum for Kunst

About this work

This is a black-and-white photo of a man’s head and shoulders. His face is serious, with a short beard and mustache. The lighting is dim, mostly on one side, leaving the other side in shadow. The photo looks like it was taken a long time ago. The grainy texture and lighting style suggest it might be an early portrait. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow like this.