Who painted Portrait of a young man?

Portrait of a young man was painted by Gerbrand Ban in 1650-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a young man?

Portrait of a young man is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of a young man?

Portrait of a young man is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a young man?

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

Artwork

Portrait of a young man

Gerbrand Ban , 1650

Portrait of a young man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerbrand Ban. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

Portrait of a young man is an oil painting executed on a copper support, a technique associated with Gerbrand Ban's small-scale cabinet pictures.

Portrait of a young man is an oil painting executed on a copper support, a technique associated with Gerbrand Ban's small-scale cabinet pictures. The use of copper allowed for a smooth, enamel-like surface that lends itself to fine detail and a refined finish. The work is a portrait genre piece measuring 23 cm in height by 17.5 cm in width, an intimate format typical of mid-17th-century Dutch portrait miniatures on metal. Its modest dimensions and polished handling reflect the precise, meticulous style for which Ban is known.

The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, having previously been owned by Jan Hendrik Cremer.

History & Provenance

The copper support and medium of oil paint indicate the work was conceived as a cabinet piece rather than a large-scale display portrait. The painting is dated to 1650, aligning the work with Ban’s mature period in Amsterdam. Early in its history, the portrait entered the collection of Jan Hendrik Cremer, a noted Dutch collector active in the mid-seventeenth century.

By the modern era, the painting became part of the holdings of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located.

The painting Portrait of a young man by Gerbrand Ban is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work, created in 1650, is executed in oil on copper and measures 23 cm in height by 17.5 cm in width. While the source confirms the museum's ownership, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. The available records do not detail any exhibition history for this portrait.

Overview

Created around 1650, this copper portrait by Gerbrand Ban portrays a young man rendered with restrained elegance. The work resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑seventeenth‑century Dutch portraiture on metal support.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is shown with tightly curled hair and a solemn expression, dressed in a dark coat trimmed with lace at the collar and cuffs. His hands rest calmly against a muted background, suggesting a composed, perhaps introspective demeanor, while a faint white shape beneath them hints at a folded paper or cloth, adding a subtle narrative element.

Context

During the mid‑1600s, Dutch artists frequently employed copper as a painting substrate for its durability and luminous qualities, especially in portraiture intended for private patrons. Ban’s choice of a modest, dark wardrobe and restrained pose aligns with contemporary tastes for sober, dignified representations of the emerging middle class.