Artwork
Portrait of a Young Man

Portrait of a Young Man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the Walters Art Museum.
About this work
This painting shows a young man with a dark beard and mustache, wearing a fancy black and white outfit.
This painting shows a young man with a dark beard and mustache, wearing a fancy black and white outfit. He has a white collar with lace and a dark jacket with white stripes. The background is a plain brown color.
The man's clothing and hairstyle suggest he might be from the 17th century. His face is serious, and he looks straight ahead.
If you want to learn more about the artist who painted this, check out Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen.
Overview
Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen’s *Portrait of a Young Man* (1637) is an oil on canvas work that presents a single sitter in a restrained composition. The figure gazes directly forward, his expression solemn, set against a uniform brown backdrop that emphasizes the attire and facial features.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a youthful male wearing a black jacket trimmed with white vertical stripes, a lace‑edged white collar, and a dark beard and mustache. The clothing and hairstyle align with early‑17th‑century fashion, suggesting the sitter’s status and the period’s conventions of dignified representation.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting demonstrates Janssens’s careful handling of light and texture. Fine brushwork renders the lace collar and the subtle sheen of the fabric, while the muted background allows the contrast of dark and white elements in the costume to dominate the visual field.
History & Provenance
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, the work reflects Janssens’s career after establishing himself in England around 1618, where he became known for signed portraits. *Portrait of a Young Man* now belongs to the Walters Art Museum’s collection, where it is displayed as part of their 17th‑century European holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Janssens (born Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen, Dutch: ; bapt. 14 October 1593 – bur. 5 August 1661) was an Anglo-Dutch painter of portraits. Born of Dutch or Flemish parents who fled to London from Antwerp to…



















