- Museum number
- A14
- Object
- Oil Painting: An Unknown Man by Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy, oil on panel, c.1620
- Description
The gentleman depicted in this fine portrait has not been identified, although it is possible that he was a citizen of Amsterdam where the artist Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy enjoyed a highly successful career in the first half of the seventeenth century. The sitter's costume with the impressive cartwheel ruff has helped date the portrait to the 1620s. The portrait demonstrates Pickenoy's great facility in reproducing the lustre and texture of fine textiles. It also shows how Pickenoy investigated his sitters psychology through meticulous description of their features and expressions.
On the evidence of costume, this portrait can be dated to the 1620s. The sitter wears a large cartwheel ruff and fine pleated cuff edged with Flemish bobbin lace. His doublet of figured satin has paned or slashed sleeves edged with braid. The velvet cloak is worn off the shoulder, draped round and tied at the waist for the most sumptuous effect. Pickenoy's treatment of the various textures of satin and velvet is masterly and tremendously rich in spite of his restricted range of colors.- Materials
- Oil
- On display?
- Yes
Further description
- Simple name
- Painting
- Subject
- portrait
- Dimensions
- framed: 12cm (d) x 136.0000cm (h) x 108.0000cm (w)
regular: 111.9cm (h) x 81.3cm (w)
An Unknown Man
Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy (about 1588 – about 1655)
Oil on panel, 1620s
Pickenoy specialised in portraits of prominent citizens of Amsterdam, where the mainly Protestant population preferred a sober black-and-white style of dress. Pickenoy makes up for the restrictions in colour by making the most of the rich variety of textures. The lustrous satin doublet is embellished with black embroidery and edged with stiff braid; the sleeves are ornamented with rows of tiny buttons and loops. Despite this attention to detail, the costume is secondary to the sitter’s realistically painted head and strong, direct gaze.
A14
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