Artwork

Portrait of Willem van Lokhorst (1514-64)

Portrait of Willem van Lokhorst (1514-64), by Unknown, unspecified, 1554
Portrait of Willem van Lokhorst (1514-64), by Unknown, unspecified, 1554

Portrait of Willem van Lokhorst (1514-64) is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1554 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This 1554 portrait depicts Willem van Lokhorst, a man who lived from 1514 to 1564.

About this work

The way the light softly touches his face and hands makes him feel real, not stiff like some older portraits.

This is a man in a black coat and beret, standing against a dark background. His hands are folded, and his face looks calm but serious.

The painting is from 1554, but no one knows who painted it. That’s unusual—most portraits from this time were signed or at least had a known artist. The way the light softly touches his face and hands makes him feel real, not stiff like some older portraits.

If you like this quiet, realistic style, check out the Rijksmuseum for more paintings like it.

Overview

This 1554 portrait depicts Willem van Lokhorst, a man who lived from 1514 to 1564. The artist remains unknown.

Subject & Meaning

The subject is shown standing, half-length, against a dark background, wearing a black beret and coat, with his hands clasped together. His calm yet serious expression conveys a sense of contemplation.

Technique & Style

The painting's use of soft light on the subject's face and hands creates a lifelike effect, diverging from the more formal and stiff portraiture common in earlier works.

History & Provenance

The portrait was painted in 1554, but its artist is unidentified, making it an unusual example among portraits from this period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

Continue through works from the same source collection.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Rijksmuseum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.