Artwork
Portret van een man
Portret van een man is an ivory painting. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is a diminutive, circular portrait executed in carved ivory.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays an unidentified man, rendered as a small square ivory miniature measuring 6.
The work portrays an unidentified man, rendered as a small square ivory miniature measuring 6.1 × 6.1 cm, dating to 1805 and produced in the Northern Low Countries. As an anonymous portrait, its primary function is to record the sitter’s likeness, reflecting the early‑19th‑century practice of intimate portraiture meant to preserve personal identity. No further iconographic or symbolic attributes are described in the sources.
Technique & Style
Created in 1805 within the Northern Low Countries, this portrait is executed on an ivory support. The work measures 6.1 cm in both height and width, indicating a miniature format. As a painting classified within the portrait genre, it depicts a male subject.
The selection of ivory as the primary material defines the physical nature of the piece, which is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1805 in the Northern Low Countries as an anonymous portrait executed on ivory. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display in the portrait genre.
The work was commissioned as a likeness of a man and has been part of the Rijksmuseum's holdings since its acquisition, maintaining a clear ownership chain from its creation to the present.
Overview
The work is a diminutive, circular portrait executed in carved ivory. Measuring only a few centimeters across, it presents the likeness of an elderly gentleman with white hair, a pallid complexion and a restrained expression. The figure is dressed in a dark coat topped by a neatly tied white cravat, set against an unadorned dark background that concentrates attention on the face.
Artist & collection
