Artwork
Jacob van Dalen (1570–1644), Called Vallensis
Jacob van Dalen (1570–1644), Called Vallensis is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
He is rendered in a conventional portrait format, clothed in contemporary attire and set against a plain background that emphasizes his presence.
The painting portrays Jacob van Dalen, known as Vallensis, as a man of the early seventeenth-century Dutch elite. He is rendered in a conventional portrait format, clothed in contemporary attire and set against a plain background that emphasizes his presence. A coat of arms signifies his family lineage and social standing.
The work, executed in oil on panel in 1640 by Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt, thus functions as both a likeness and a statement of identity, using heraldic symbolism to communicate the sitter's status within his community.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1640, this portrait uses oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work functions as a formal depiction of a male sitter accompanied by a coat of arms, adhering to the conventions of seventeenth-century portraiture. While specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or the precise handling of the medium are not explicitly detailed in the available records, the material composition is firmly established as oil on panel.
The dimensions of the support measure approximately 69.9 cm in height and 58.4 cm in width. The classification of the object as a painting within the portrait genre underscores its representational purpose, focusing on the likeness and status of the subject through traditional materials common to the period.
History & Provenance
Jacob van Dalen, also known as Vallensis, was painted in 1640 by Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt. The work is executed in oil on panel and depicts a man with a coat of arms, characteristic of portraiture of the period. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inventoried as 1975.1.162, with dimensions recorded at 69.9 cm in height and 58.4 cm in width. As of the documented entry, the painting has no recorded exhibition history.
Overview
This oil painting, created in 1640 by Dutch artist Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt, presents a formal portrait of Jacob van Dalen (1570–1644), known as Vallensis. The work captures its subject with a dignified demeanor, characteristic of the era's portraiture. Currently, the painting is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant example of Dutch Golden Age artistry.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Michiel Janszoon (abbr. Jansz.) van Mierevelt (Dutch pronunciation:; also spelled Miereveld or Miereveldt; 1 May 1566 – 27 June 1641) was a Dutch painter and draftsman of the Dutch Golden Age.
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