Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Adriaen Thomasz. Key. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Adriaen Thomasz.
About this work
Technique & Style
The composition focuses on the formal representation of a man, adhering to the stylistic conventions of late 16th-century portraiture.
Created in 1581 by Adriaen Thomasz. Key, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel support. The work measures 44.5 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width.
As a portrait genre painting originating from Antwerp, the artist employed traditional oil techniques to depict a male subject. The composition focuses on the formal representation of a man, adhering to the stylistic conventions of late 16th-century portraiture.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a Man was created in 1581 by the artist Adriaen Thomasz. Key in Antwerp. Executed in oil paint on a panel, the work measures 44.5 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width. The painting depicts a man and is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Overview
Adriaen Thomasz. Key, a Flemish painter active in Antwerp, completed the oil painting Portrait of a Man in 1591. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the portraiture produced during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of significant artistic activity in the Low Countries.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a middle‑aged gentleman with a solemn demeanor. He wears a tightly starched white ruff, his short, curled hair and full beard framing a face illuminated against a dark backdrop, emphasizing his individual presence.
Context
Created at the height of the Dutch Golden Age, the portrait aligns with contemporary trends that favored realistic likenesses, detailed costume, and a focus on the individual’s social status, all rendered with the precision characteristic of Antwerp’s artistic circles.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen Thomasz. Key (c. 1544 in Antwerp – after 1589 in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter of portraits and religious paintings, a draughtsman and a printmaker. He worked for a while in the Antwerp workshop of the…
