Artwork

Portrait of a Man

Portrait of a Man, by Unknown, unspecified, 1654
Portrait of a Man, by Unknown, unspecified, 1654

Portrait of a Man is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1654 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

He is dressed in a dark outfit with a white collar and a light-colored cape draped over his shoulders.

The painting depicts a man standing in a room with a dog by his side. He is dressed in a dark outfit with a white collar and a light-colored cape draped over his shoulders. The room has a column and a curtain in the background, with a landscape visible through the window.

The man's attire and the setting suggest a formal portrait from the 17th or 18th century. The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and dimensionality in the painting.

To learn more about the artist's technique, explore the concept of chiaroscuro.

Overview

The work, titled Portrait of a Man, is an oil painting attributed to the artist known as 913_person and dates to around 1654. It is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as an example of early modern portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows a seated gentleman accompanied by a small dog, both positioned within an interior space that includes a column, a draped curtain, and a window opening onto a landscape. The figure’s dark clothing, white collar, and light cape convey a sense of status, while the dog may symbolize loyalty or domestic affluence.

Technique & Style

The painter employs strong contrasts of light and shadow, a chiaroscuro approach that models the figure’s form and creates spatial depth. The handling of the fabric’s texture and the subtle gradations in the background suggest a careful observation of light, typical of mid‑seventeenth‑century portrait conventions.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1654, the portrait entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it has remained in the permanent collection. Its attribution to 913_person is based on stylistic analysis and comparative research with other works from the same period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known