Artwork
A Lawyer
A Lawyer is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Marinus van Reymerswaele. It dates from 1542 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The subject is rendered in the tradition of Netherlandish genre scenes that scrutinize social roles and moral conduct.
The painting depicts a lawyer, a figure whose professional identity is emphasized by costume and setting. The subject is rendered in the tradition of Netherlandish genre scenes that scrutinize social roles and moral conduct. The lawyer’s concentrated demeanor and the presence of ledgers and papers suggest the exercise of legal authority and the scrutiny of accounts, themes aligned with contemporary critiques of avarice and institutional power.
This work belongs to a small group of images by Van Reymerswaele that adapt a composition inspired by Quentin Massys’s The Banker and His Wife, transposing the moralizing gaze from financial to legal practice.
Technique & Style
Marinus van Reymerswaele's A Lawyer, created in 1542, is executed in oil paint on a panel support. The work measures 103.7 cm in height and 120 cm in width. As a genre scene depicting a lawyer in an office setting, the painting exemplifies the artist's approach to domestic and professional interiors of the period. The medium and support are consistent with Northern Renaissance panel painting practices of the mid-16th century.
History & Provenance
The work titled A Lawyer was painted by Marinus van Reymerswaele in 1542, marking its creation history. It was commissioned as a genre scene depicting a lawyer in his office, drawing inspiration from the thematic motif of At the tax collector's office. The painting entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains housed.
Its dimensions are recorded as 103.7 cm in height and 120 cm in width, confirming the physical scale of the work.
Overview
Marinus van Reymerswaele’s oil painting A Lawyer (1542) depicts a crowded interior where several men are engaged in paperwork and discussion. Executed during the Northern Renaissance, the work exemplifies the artist’s focus on professional scenes, particularly those involving legal and fiscal occupations.
Context
Trained in Leuven and active in Antwerp before returning to the Northern Netherlands, van Reymerswaele ran a workshop that reproduced his most popular motifs. A Lawyer reflects the period’s interest in documenting everyday professional life and the moral undertones associated with the handling of money and legal matters.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Marinus van Reymerswaele or Marinus van Reymerswale (c. 1490 – c. 1546) was a Dutch Renaissance painter mainly known for his genre scenes and religious compositions. After studying in Leuven and training and working as…
