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Captain Smart

Unknown

1639

oil

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Baroque Early Baroque Italian Baroque

Dominant colour

Captain Smart is a 1639 oil by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1639 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a man dressed in fancy clothes, likely from the 17th century. He's wearing a big hat and a fancy coat. The man in the painting is thought to be Captain Smart, but not much is known about him. His portrait is one of many from that time, showing off the wealth and status of the sitter. This type of portrait was popular among the newly wealthy in Britain. To learn more about this style, look at the technique of glazing.

The story of this work

Overview

Oil on canvas, dated 1639, depicting a man identified as Captain Smart. The sitter is shown in fashionable mid-17th-century attire, with silver-gilt thread used to embellish his gloves, sword belt, sash, buttons, and doublet. The portrait was purchased in 1892 as an example of contemporary dress and remained in the Textiles Department until 1935. It was acquired at a sale of Edward Peacock’s collection for £17 at Bottesford Manor, Lincolnshire.

Read the full account in the museum source.