Portrait of a Gentleman

Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy

Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy - Portrait of a Gentleman
The depiction of married couple on separate panels painted either at the time of the wedding or in commemoration of it, was a popular portrait genre. The husband routinely occupies the honorary position on his wife’s right side, as is the case with this pair. The active male role is underscored here by the sitter’s slight turn into profile as well as his more animated gestures. In contrast, the woman’s pose is passive but her beauty makes a brilliant show, and the flattering illumination in full light underscores the fashionable paleness of her skin.
date:
measurements: height 122 cm
width 89 cm
material: oak panel
technique: oil
inscription:
inventory number: DO 4252
gallery collection: Collection of Old Masters