Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Thus, the available data limit discussion to the material and structural aspects of the artwork.
Portrait of a Man is rendered in oil paint applied to a canvas support. The painting’s dimensions are 79.4 cm in height and 64.1 cm in width. The sources specify the medium as oil paint and the support as canvas, but they do not provide information about the artist’s handling of the paint, the current condition of the work, or its formal and stylistic qualities. Thus, the available data limit discussion to the material and structural aspects of the artwork.
History & Provenance
The portrait dates to 1645, as indicated by both Verspronck’s signed date and the Metropolitan Museum’s records. Its early history remains undocumented, but by the mid-twentieth century the work had entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has remained since. The painting’s dimensions (79.4 × 64.1 cm) and materials (oil on canvas) align with Verspronck’s known practice in the 1640s, supporting the dating and attribution without evidence of later alteration or repurposing.
Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck's 1645 oil-on-canvas painting, Portrait of a Man, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work measures 79.4 cm in height and 64.1 cm in width. While the source material confirms the museum's possession and the artwork's physical dimensions and date of creation, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Furthermore, the available documentation does not list any exhibition history for this specific portrait.
Overview
Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck, a Dutch Golden Age painter from Haarlem, completed Portrait of a Man in 1645. This oil painting exemplifies the portrait genre prevalent during its era. It captures a specific individual, reflecting the period's interest in depicting the burgeoning merchant class and prominent citizens. The artwork is currently part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a man dressed in the fashion of the mid-17th century, wearing a dark coat, a broad-brimmed hat, and a crisp white collar. His attire also includes a ruffled cuff adorned with lace, indicating a degree of social standing. The composition directs attention primarily to his face and hands, suggesting an emphasis on individual identity and character.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck (between 1600 and 1603 – buried 30 June 1662) was a Dutch Golden Age portrait painter from Haarlem.
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