Who painted Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man was painted by Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder in c. 1530/1540.

Where can I see Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Man?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Man are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a Man

Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder , 1535

Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder. It dates from 1535 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

History & Provenance

Following Miller's death in 1953, the artwork was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.

The Portrait of a Man was created in 1530 by Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder as an oil painting on panel. While the specific commission details remain unrecorded in the available documentation, the work's early ownership chain is partially traced through Adolph Caspar Miller of Washington, D.C. Miller held the painting by 1936, a fact documented in Charles L. Kuhn's 1936 catalogue of German paintings in American collections. Following Miller's death in 1953, the artwork was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains part of the permanent collection. The painting depicts an unidentified man and measures 34.6 by 23.8 centimeters.

The portrait is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. It was accessioned as part of the bequest of Adolph Caspar Miller in 1953. The painting has not been recorded in major temporary exhibitions in the sources consulted.

Overview

Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder, a prominent figure in the German Renaissance, created this Portrait of a Man around 1535. Executed in oil on panel, the painting presents a single male subject. Bruyn was a leading artist in Cologne, recognized for his skill in capturing individual likenesses during the first half of the 16th century, a period when portraiture gained significant cultural importance.

Subject & Meaning

The painting centers on a man seated within an unadorned interior, dressed in period attire. His gaze is direct, conveying a quiet and thoughtful demeanor. The artist meticulously rendered the subject's features, emphasizing his individual presence.

This focus on a specific person reflects a broader cultural trend in the German Renaissance, where the representation of distinct individuals became increasingly valued.

Technique & Style

Bruyn employed oil on panel to achieve a highly detailed and realistic depiction of the sitter's face and clothing. The meticulous rendering of textures and features is characteristic of the period's approach to portraiture. The work aligns with aspects of the Mannerist style, evident in its precise execution and the artist's command of form. Techniques like glazing would have been utilized to build depth and subtle transitions in tone.

Context

Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder was a central artistic figure in Cologne during the German Renaissance. Active in the first half of the 16th century, he was renowned for his skill in both altarpiece commissions and portraiture. His position as the city's foremost painter of individual likenesses underscores the growing demand for such works among the burgeoning merchant class and local elite, for whom personal representation held increasing significance.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder

Bartholomäus Bruyn (1493–1555), usually called Barthel Bruyn or Barthel Bruyn the Elder, was a German Renaissance painter active in Cologne. He painted altarpieces and portraits, and was Cologne's foremost portrait painter of his day.