Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting's emphasis on the individual male subject aligns with the genre's focus on commemorating prosperous members of society.
The painting depicts an unidentified man, rendered as a conventional portrait of its era. The subject is presented frontally, consistent with early eighteenth-century European portraiture conventions. As a work by the Circle of Arnold Boonen, it represents the Dutch portrait tradition, which typically emphasized the sitter's social standing through attire, pose, and direct engagement with the viewer.
The generic title and lack of identifying attributes suggest the sitter's identity was either lost or was never intended to be publicly recorded, making the work representative of portraiture's broader function in documenting appearance and status rather than conveying specific personal symbolism. The painting's emphasis on the individual male subject aligns with the genre's focus on commemorating prosperous members of society.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 56.5 × 47.6 cm. Its execution in oil paint on a textile support places it within the standard practice of early eighteenth-century European portraiture. The attribution to the Circle of Arnold Boonen suggests a Dutch stylistic milieu, characterized by refined realism and attention to the depiction of status and character in male subjects. The handling likely follows the conventions of the Boonen circle, with careful modeling of facial features and costume detail typical of Dutch portrait traditions around 1720. No specific information about the painting's condition is provided in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Man, an oil‑on‑canvas portrait measuring 56.5 × 47.6 cm, was created circa 1720 by a member of the Circle of Arnold Boonen. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view, establishing its modern provenance. Its dating is confirmed by the museum’s catalog, which records an inception year of 1720.
The painting’s authorship is attributed to the Circle of Arnold Boonen, reflecting the stylistic conventions of early 18th‑century Dutch portraiture. Documentation does not disclose details of any commission, and the circumstances of its acquisition by the museum are not publicly elaborated.
The work titled Portrait of a Man, dated 1720, is an oil on canvas portrait attributed to the circle of Arnold Boonen. It is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is listed under the museum’s collection and assigned the accession number not specified in the available records. The painting measures 56.5 cm by 47.6 cm and depicts a solitary male sitter. No exhibition history is recorded in the cited documentation.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Portrait of a Man, depicts an unidentified male figure. The work presents a formal, half-length view of the sitter, characterized by a contemplative expression and a rich interplay of color and texture. It serves as a representative example of portraiture from its period, utilizing traditional techniques to convey both the likeness and the presence of its subject.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Man
Portrait of Anne Louis Goislard de Montsabert, Comte de Richbourg-le-Toureil
Abraham Grill the Older
Portrait of Monsieur de Noirmont
Portrait of Caspar Adriaen Parduyn, Bailiff of Middelburg
Portrait of a man in armour
Portrait of a Man
Joseph I of Portugal
Portrait du sculpteur Jean Thierry
Portrait of Cornelis ten Hove
Portrait of a Nobleman in Armour
Portret de bărbat
