Artwork
Man with Urine Bottle in his Hand
Man with Urine Bottle in his Hand is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Antonio Zanchi. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1650 by Antonio Zanchi, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 72 cm in height and 61 cm in width. As a painted depiction of a male figure, the piece utilizes standard oil painting techniques characteristic of the mid-seventeenth century to render its subject.
History & Provenance
The work is housed in the Rijksmuseum with inventory number SK-A-2555 and has been exhibited in the museum’s Dutch Golden Age exhibition.
Antonio Zanchi painted Man with Urine Bottle in his Hand in 1650. The work is an oil portrait currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection.
The painting entered the Rijksmuseum's holdings through a formal acquisition, establishing the museum as its present owner. Its creation was recorded in 1650, confirming the date of production.
The artwork is classified as a portrait, executed in oil on canvas, and is listed in the Rijksmuseum's catalogue under its full title.
Man with Urine Bottle in his Hand is an oil on canvas portrait painted in 1650 by Antonio Zanchi. The work is housed in the Rijksmuseum with inventory number SK-A-2555 and has been exhibited in the museum’s Dutch Golden Age exhibition.
The painting measures 72 cm in height and 61 cm in width.
Overview
Created circa 1650, this oil on canvas by Antonio Zanchi presents a solitary figure clutching a bottle traditionally used for urine. The composition centers the man against a deep, shadowed backdrop, his face illuminated by a focused light that draws the viewer’s attention to his expression and the object he holds.
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the genre tradition of the mid‑seventeenth‑century Italian Baroque, where everyday objects often carried symbolic weight. A urine bottle could allude to medical testing, moral judgment, or a humorous commentary on human frailty, inviting contemplation of both the literal and allegorical dimensions of the scene.
Context
During the early Italian Baroque, artists increasingly explored genre scenes that combined realistic detail with moral or allegorical undertones. Zanchi, active primarily in Venice, contributed to this trend, integrating theatrical lighting and expressive characterization that echo the period’s fascination with drama and human experience.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Antonio Zanchi (Italian pronunciation:; 6 December 1631 – 12 April 1722) was an Italian painter of the Baroque, active mainly in Venice, but his prolific works can also be seen in Padova, Treviso, Rovigo, Verona,…
