Portrait of a Gentleman (1680): Artwork and History

Portrait of a Gentleman (1680) is in the Art Institute of Chicago collection. The museum lists its creator attribution as Caspar Netscher (Dutch, 1639-1684).

The work and its context

The Art Institute of Chicago describes the work:

In the nascent Dutch Republic, portraits emphasized the prestige of the increasingly prosperous middle and upper classes. The hilt of the sword on the table suggests that this gentleman held a position in the military, perhaps one with an administrative or legal component, as indicated by the statue in the background of the Roman goddess Justitia, with her scales and sword. The man’s success is demonstrated not only by this large sculpture but also by the golden cloak he wears. Such luxury garments were imported from Japan at mid-century, but this fashionable, brocaded version was likely made domestically. Caspar Netscher, one of the great small-scale Dutch portraitists, would have made this painting for display in a home.

Object facts

• Title: Portrait of a Gentleman
• Date: 1680
• Artist attribution: Caspar Netscher (Dutch, 1639-1684)
• Place of origin: Holland
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Dimensions: 47 × 38.1 cm (18 1/2 × 15 in.); Framed: 64.8 × 56.5 × 6.4 cm (25 1/2 × 22 1/4 × 2 1/2 in.)
• Type: Painting
• Department: Painting and Sculpture of Europe
• Reference number: 1933.1087

Collection credit

Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection

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