Where can I see Portret van een man?

Portret van een man is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portret van een man?

Portret van een man is associated with Neoclassicism.

Artwork

Portret van een man

Portret van een man is an oil painting. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is an ivory‑painted portrait that presents a seated man from the chest upward against a dark backdrop.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work belongs to the portrait genre and is part of the Rijksmuseum collection, underscoring its cultural significance within Dutch art history.

The painting shows an unidentified man rendered in oil on ivory, likely dating to 1795 in the Northern Low Countries. Its portrayal emphasizes individual presence without overt symbolic attributes, reflecting the genre's focus on realistic representation of sitters in the late 18th century. The work belongs to the portrait genre and is part of the Rijksmuseum collection, underscoring its cultural significance within Dutch art history.

The subject's anonymity invites contemplation of personal identity during a period of social change in the Netherlands, where portraiture served both as status display and introspective study. The material choice of ivory enhances the delicate rendering of facial features, highlighting technical mastery characteristic of the era.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on an ivory support, produced in the Northern Low Countries in 1795. It depicts an anonymous man, reflecting its classification as a portrait and its placement within the Rijksmuseum collection. The use of oil paint on ivory contributes to a distinctive luminous surface and fine handling characteristic of late 18th‑century Dutch portraiture.

History & Provenance

The painting is dated to 1795, with a more precise inception recorded as 1 January 1795. It was created in the Northern Low Countries. The work is executed in oil paint on ivory. The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

Overview

The work is an ivory‑painted portrait that presents a seated man from the chest upward against a dark backdrop. He is distinguished by white hair, a black coat, and a white shirt, his expression neutral and his gaze turned slightly to the viewer’s right. The composition emphasizes a restrained, contemplative presence.