Artwork
Male portrait
Male portrait is a paint painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan van Scorel. It is held in the collection of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the portrait genre and was executed in 1600, reflecting early 17th-century conventions of formal representation in Northern European art.
The painting presents a standalone male figure rendered in oil on a lime wood panel, likely intended as a standalone portrait rather than a component of a narrative cycle. The sitter's direct gaze and three-quarter pose emphasize individual identity, while the plain background and frontal lighting focus attention on the sitter's physical presence and psychological immediacy. The work belongs to the portrait genre and was executed in 1600, reflecting early 17th-century conventions of formal representation in Northern European art.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting on a lime panel, measuring 48.8 cm in height by 41.2 cm in width. Executed in 1600, it depicts a male sitter rendered with the modeling and chiaroscuro characteristic of early Dutch portraiture, emphasizing fine facial detail and a restrained, naturalistic pose. The surface retains its original varnish with minimal craquelure, indicating stable handling and good condition for its age.
Overview
Jan van Scorel’s Male Portrait dates to around 1600 and is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The work presents a single figure, rendered in paint, whose solemn gaze dominates the composition. The painting exemplifies the early‑modern practice of individual portraiture, focusing on the sitter’s presence rather than narrative background.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the 17th century, the painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings as part of its early acquisitions of Dutch and Flemish works. Its provenance prior to museum acquisition is not extensively documented, but the work has been attributed to Scorel based on stylistic analysis and archival references linking the artist to similar court portraits.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van Scorel was a Dutch painter, who played a leading role in introducing aspects of Italian Renaissance painting into Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting.
- Der Augsburger Patrizier Ulrich Sulzer (1463-1545)
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