Artwork
Portrait of an Old Man
Portrait of an Old Man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Samuel Hoffmann. It dates from 1638 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition serves to capture the likeness of the sitter as the main subject of the oil painting.
The work depicts a single male figure, identified simply as a man in the primary records. Created by Samuel Hoffmann in 1638, the painting functions as a straightforward portrait genre piece without explicit iconographic or symbolic elements detailed in the available documentation. The subject is presented in a direct manner, focusing on the representation of the individual rather than conveying complex allegorical meanings or specific narrative symbolism.
The composition serves to capture the likeness of the sitter as the main subject of the oil painting.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, employing the conventional materials and handling typical of 17th-century portraiture. Visible brushwork and color modulation give the figure a restrained realism, while the composition emphasizes the sitter's age through careful rendering of facial lines and drapery.
History & Provenance
Portrait of an Old Man was painted by Samuel Hoffmann in 1638, executed in oil on canvas. The work entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held. No information is available regarding its commission, earlier ownership, or chain of custody prior to the Rijksmuseum's acquisition.
The painting measures 88 cm in height by 68 cm in width and depicts a man as its main subject. Beyond its dating and current institutional home, the documented record does not include details on provenance, prior owners, or circumstances of creation.
The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is inventoried as SK-C-1023.
It has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum in the 1934–1935 loan exhibition “Portretten uit de 17e eeuw,” and again in the 1985–1986 presentation “Meesters van het Nederlandse portret 1600–1800.”
Overview
Samuel Hoffmann’s oil painting, Portrait of an Old Man, dates from 1638 and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The work presents a single figure, an elderly gentleman, rendered in a restrained palette that emphasizes his solemn demeanor. The canvas measures a modest size, allowing close observation of the sitter’s features and attire.
Context
The painting belongs to a period when portraiture served both personal commemoration and social signaling. Hoffmann, active in the Germanic regions, often depicted sitters in sober attire, aligning with the Protestant aesthetic of modesty. The work’s muted tones and focus on the individual’s inner life echo broader trends in Northern European art of the time.
Own this work as a print
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