Artwork
Portrait of an Old Man
Portrait of an Old Man is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Joos van Cleve. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts an old man, identified as the scholar Sebastian Münster. Created in 1525 by Joos van Cleve, the work is classified as a portrait that focuses on this specific individual. The subject matter centers on the representation of Münster, presenting him as the main figure within the composition.
Technique & Style
The panel is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, displayed in Prado Hall 056 at the Royal Palace of Madrid, and the work dates to 1525.
The Portrait of an Old Man is executed in oil paint on panel, a support and medium typical of early Netherlandish practice. The work measures 62 cm in height by 47 cm in width, presenting a modestly scaled, vertically oriented panel portrait of an aged male sitter.
Stylistically, the painting belongs to the portrait tradition associated with Joos van Cleve, whose handling of facial features and characterization of elderly subjects is conveyed through the oil medium's capacity for fine modeling and layered glazes. The portrait genre is consistent with the careful, individualized depiction of an old man as the principal subject.
The panel is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, displayed in Prado Hall 056 at the Royal Palace of Madrid, and the work dates to 1525. No further condition notes or specific stylistic descriptors are documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Joos van Cleve executed the Portrait of an Old Man in 1525 using oil paint on a panel support. The work depicts Sebastian Münster and measures 62 by 47 units. Historically, the painting entered the Spanish royal collection under the ownership of Ferdinand VII.
It is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is displayed in Hall 056 of the Royal Palace.
Overview
This oil painting, created in 1525 by Joos van Cleve, is a portrait of an elderly man. It is characteristic of the artist's work, which often blended traditional techniques with contemporary influences.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Joos van Cleve (; also Joos van der Beke; c. 1485–1490 – 1540/1541) was a leading painter active in Antwerp from his arrival there around 1511 until his death in 1540 or 1541. Within Dutch and Flemish Renaissance…
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