Cornelis Mayer
1665
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1665
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Cornelis Mayer is a 1665 ink by Bernard Vaillant, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a man in a dark, richly draped chair, his face turned slightly toward us. He’s wearing a high-collared coat and looks like he’s mid-gesture, pointing with one hand while holding a small object in the other. Behind him, shelves hold jars, books, and what looks like a balance scale—maybe he’s a scientist or scholar. The artist used deep shadows and smooth shading to make his face pop against the dark background. That’s called *chiaroscuro*, a big deal in Baroque art. Check out chiaroscuro to see how light and dark create drama in paintings.
