Portrait of a Gentleman Wearing a Fancy Ruff

Thomas de Keyser painted this small oil-on-copper portrait in 1627. Its earliest documented owner was the banker Henri Louis Bischoffsheim (1828–1908) of Bute House, London. After his death the work appeared at his estate sale conducted by Christie, Manson & Woods in London on 7 May 1926 (lot 48).

It subsequently passed through Martin and the Amsterdam dealer Frederik Muller & Co., which sold it on 8 December 1926 to Count Gerard Joseph Emile d'Aquin (born 1865), who acquired it believing it to be a self-portrait by De Keyser. The portrait then descended within the d'Aquin family until it reappeared at Christie's, Manson & Woods in New York on 25 January 2012 (lot 13), where the National Gallery of Art purchased it for its collection.

The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the collection following its purchase at the Christie, Manson & Woods sale in New York on 25 January 2012 (lot 13). Its earlier provenance traces from Henri Louis Bischoffsheim, who kept the work at Bute House in London, through his 1926 estate sale at Christie, Manson & Woods, to a private owner identified as Martin, then through Frederik Muller & Co. in Amsterdam, before being sold on 8 December 1926 to Count Gerard Joseph Emile d'Aquin, who held it as a self-portrait by De Keyser. The work descended within the d'Aquin family until the 2012 New York sale from which the NGA acquired it.

This oil painting on copper depicts an unidentified gentleman from the 17th century. The sitter, presented in a formal pose, gazes directly forward with a composed expression. His elaborate attire, particularly the prominent ruff and detailed vest, is rendered with meticulous attention, highlighting the fabric's texture and folds. The work offers a glimpse into the sartorial conventions and portraiture styles of the period.

The subject's opulent clothing, characterized by a sophisticated ruff and an intricately designed vest, signifies his elevated social standing and prosperity. Such elaborate garments were a hallmark of elite fashion during the 17th century, serving as visual indicators of wealth and status. The artist's precise depiction of these details reinforces the sitter's distinguished identity within his contemporary society.