Johannes Crucius
1628
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1628
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of an older man with a white beard and collar. He’s wearing a dark fur-lined robe over a ruffled shirt. The background is plain, and his face is lit from the side, making shadows on his cheek and neck. The words around the oval frame are in Latin and Dutch, likely describing the man’s life or character. The artist used shading to give his face depth and texture. Look up chiaroscuro to see how this lighting trick works in other portraits.
