Who painted Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man was painted by Bartholomeus van der Helst in 1651-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Portrait of a Man

Bartholomeus van der Helst , 1651

Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Bartholomeus van der Helst. It dates from 1651 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting presents a straightforward representation of an individual rather than an allegorical scene, focusing on the identity and presence of the man.

The work depicts a single male figure, identified as the main subject of the portrait. Visual analysis notes the inclusion of a glove held by the sitter, which functions as a specific iconographic element within the composition. The painting presents a straightforward representation of an individual rather than an allegorical scene, focusing on the identity and presence of the man.

Created in 1651, the piece captures the subject in oil paint on panel, emphasizing his physical attributes and the object he holds.

Technique & Style

The portrait is painted in oil on a poplar panel using a restrained, smooth handling that emphasizes the sitter’s three-quarter pose and inward glance. The restrained chiaroscuro modulates softly across the face and ruff, with delicate glazes defining the fall of light on the cheek and the translucent linen of the collar. Subtle impasto accents appear in the glove’s stitching and the hair’s highlights, while the dark background is rendered in thin, evenly applied layers that avoid distracting texture.

The restrained palette, anchored by earthy browns, black, and white, concentrates attention on the sitter’s face, framed by the crisply painted lace and the glove’s dark leather.

The work shows no overt abrasions; minor craquelure follows the wood grain without compromising legibility, and the paint layer remains intact without significant losses.

History & Provenance

Portrait of a Man was created by Bartholomeus van der Helst in 1651, executed in oil paint on panel. The work entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is catalogued under the inventory number KMSsp444. Its current location remains the Statens Museum for Kunst.

The available sources do not document the original commission, the sitter's identity, or the subsequent ownership chain prior to the painting's acquisition by the Danish national collection.

The painting is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. It is cataloged under the inventory number KMSsp444. Created in 1651, the work is executed in oil on panel and depicts a man wearing a glove. The provided sources do not contain specific records regarding the exhibition history of this artwork.

Overview

Bartholomeus van der Helst’s Portrait of a Man (1651) is an oil painting that presents a single sitter in a restrained, formal composition. The figure is shown half‑length, his right hand raised to his chest while his left rests on a surface, clutching a pair of gloves. Dark, muted tones dominate the background, allowing the subject’s attire and expression to command attention.

Artist & collection

Artist

Bartholomeus van der Helst

Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613 – buried 16 December 1670) was a Dutch painter. Considered to be one of the leading portrait painters of the Dutch Golden Age, his elegant portraits gained him the patronage of…

Museum

Statens Museum for Kunst

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