Who painted Head of an Old Man?

Head of an Old Man was painted by Abraham Bloemaert in 1625/1628.

Where can I see Head of an Old Man?

Head of an Old Man is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Head of an Old Man?

Head of an Old Man is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Head of an Old Man?

Museum-quality prints of Head of an Old Man are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Head of an Old Man

Abraham Bloemaert , 1626

Head of an Old Man is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Abraham Bloemaert. It dates from 1626 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

3 cm and depicts the bust of an elderly man, rendered with attention to facial detail and expression.

Head of an Old Man is a portrait painted by Abraham Bloemaert between 1625 and 1628. The oil on panel measures 48.3 cm by 36.3 cm and depicts the bust of an elderly man, rendered with attention to facial detail and expression. As a work classified as a portrait, it functions to record the sitter’s appearance and suggest his character, a common aim of the genre in the early‑17th‑century Dutch school.

The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., after being purchased by Joseph F. McCrindle in 1967 and subsequently bequeathed to the museum.

Technique & Style

Head of an Old Man is executed in oil on panel, a support combination consistent with Abraham Bloemaert's small-scale portrait practice of the mid-1620s. The painted surface measures 48.3 by 36.3 centimeters, a modest, upright format suited to a closely observed character study of an aged sitter. The work is classified as a portrait and is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it has been preserved as part of the McCrindle bequest since its acquisition in 1967.

Stylistically, the painting belongs to Bloemaert's mature period, dated 1625/1628, when he was active in Utrecht and producing refined character heads and tronies in oil. The handling reflects his characteristic blending of Northern Netherlandish precision in facial detail with the warmer tonal modeling associated with Utrecht Caravaggism, yielding a tightly focused study of an elderly man rendered on a wooden panel support.

History & Provenance

Abraham Bloemaert painted Head of an Old Man between 1625 and 1628. The work later entered the London art market through dealer Brian Sewell. On 16 November 1967, Joseph F. McCrindle (1923–2008) of New York acquired it from Sewell; an invoice copy remains in the curatorial files of the National Gallery of Art.

McCrindle subsequently bequeathed the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it now resides.

The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

It was purchased on 16 November 1967 by Joseph F. McCrindle of New York from the London dealer Brian Sewell. McCrindle later bequeathed the work to the National Gallery of Art.

Overview

This oil on panel painting, Head of an Old Man, was created by the Dutch artist Abraham Bloemaert in 1626. It exemplifies the rich artistic production of the Dutch Golden Age, a period characterized by significant advancements in art and commerce. The work focuses intently on the subject's aged features, rendered with a directness that reflects the era's interest in human physiognomy.

Context

Active during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Abraham Bloemaert initially drew inspiration from Haarlem Mannerism before incorporating elements of the emerging Baroque style. This portrait fits within his broader practice of figure painting. Beyond his own artistic output, Bloemaert was a significant educator, influencing many artists who would become known as the Utrecht Caravaggisti.