Portrait of a Man by Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy

Portrait of a Man 1635

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painting, oil-paint, canvas

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portrait

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baroque

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dutch-golden-age

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painting

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oil-paint

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figuration

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canvas

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portrait art

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realism

Dimensions: 122.2 cm (height) x 89.6 cm (width) (Netto)

Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy painted this portrait of a man, its date unknown, with oil on canvas. The stark white ruff encircling the man's neck is more than mere fashion; it's a declaration. In its circular form, we find echoes of ancient solar discs, symbols of power and divinity. This motif isn’t confined to the Dutch Golden Age; we see variations in earlier Roman and Byzantine imperial portraits, where the halo served a similar purpose: to elevate and distinguish. Consider the psychological implications of this circular adornment. It acts as both a protective barrier and a focal point, drawing the eye and suggesting an aura of unapproachable authority. The collective memory of such symbols invests the wearer with an almost subconscious power, engaging viewers on a primal level. Such symbols never truly vanish; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in the ever-turning cycles of history.

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