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Notes

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Aelbert Cuyp is famous for his landscapes but he also painted a small number of portraits, of which this is a rare example. For some time it was believed that the sitter might be Cuyp’s father, Jacob, a portraitist who taught his son to paint. However, it is now believed to depict Cornelis van Someren (1593–1649), a prominent Dordrecht doctor who was 56 years old in 1649, the age and date inscribed on the picture. This suggestion seems to be confirmed by a matching pendant portrait of a woman whose age is given on the picture as 49 years old, the same as that of van Someren’s wife. The focus is very directly on the face of the sitter, and Cuyp has paid close attention to the texture and details of the skin. The way the sunlight streams in from the left, creating such a strong and clear shadow, also gives a greater sense of depth and reality to what might otherwise have been a rather flat image.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Portrait of a Bearded Man

Date

1649

Medium

Oil on oak

Measurements

H 68.9 x W 60.2 cm

Accession number

NG797

Acquisition method

Bought, 1869

Work type

Painting

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.

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Artist or maker

Aelbert Cuyp

1620–1691

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