Portrait of a Nobleman

The work titled Portrait of a Nobleman is an oil painting on panel attributed to a French artist of the sixteenth century and dated to 1570. It shows a man and measures roughly 31.2 × 22.7 cm. The earliest documented ownership places the picture with the Berlin dealer De Burlet by 1927; it was acquired by Chester Dale on 25 March 1931 and subsequently gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1942. The dating and medium are recorded in contemporary catalogues, and the provenance is documented through dealer correspondence and archival records.

The painting Portrait of a Nobleman, a French 16th‑century oil on panel, is presently in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces from the dealer Charles Albert de Burlet in Berlin to Étienne Bignou by 1927, then to Chester Dale in March 1931, and finally as a gift to the National Gallery in 1942. The work’s accession or inventory number is not listed in the available documentation. Exhibition records are not detailed in the cited sources.

The "Portrait of a Nobleman" is an oil painting rendered on a panel of fir or pine wood. It features a seated male figure, elegantly dressed and wearing a prominent hat, which collectively conveys his elevated social standing. The artist meticulously rendered various elements, from the intricate folds of his garments to the thoughtful expression on the sitter's face.

Portraiture for affluent individuals constituted a significant segment of artistic commissions during this era. Such works functioned not merely as likenesses but also as declarations of social standing and influence. This painting exemplifies a prevalent practice where art served as a visual testament to an individual's place within the societal hierarchy and their personal accomplishments.