Portrait of a Man

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Jan Mijtens situated this unidentified sitter against a twilight landscape, likely a subtle nod to his status as a gentleman and landowner. Mijtens, painter to the nobility—most notably, the House of Orange in The Hague—practiced an international style of portraiture that emphasized elegant poses, sumptuous garb, and confident demeanors. This mode had been developed by Dutch and Flemish artists working at foreign courts, including Jan’s uncle and probable teacher, Daniel Mijtens , who was court painter to Charles I of England.

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