Portrait of a Man 1628 - 1667

Editor: We're looking at "Portrait of a Man," created sometime between 1628 and 1667 by Wybrand de Geest. It’s an oil painting held at the SMK in Copenhagen. It's struck me as quite reserved...a very formal feel to it. What jumps out at you? Curator: The sitter’s almost unnervingly direct gaze, perhaps? It’s hard to tell without colour, but I imagine that lace collar was blindingly white in its day, an aggressive display of wealth. Though, look closer – he’s also kind of slouching! I wonder what story that tells… the push and pull between aspiration and…weariness, maybe? Editor: Weariness, yes, I see it. Was this kind of portraiture typical for the Dutch Golden Age? Curator: Very much so. This era saw the rise of a prosperous middle class, eager to have their likenesses captured. Though it is worth considering... What’s missing here? It is devoid of much symbolic paraphernalia, almost bare... Perhaps this man wished to be seen, not for his societal status, but… rather as himself? It makes the slouch all the more… poignant, wouldn't you say? Editor: I do. Stripping away the frills gives the piece a surprising vulnerability, like he wants to be known for his character, not his status. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: My pleasure! Art history is full of wonderful paradoxes like that. I see it as a mirror to life, a reminder of who we are… beyond the lace collars and fancy poses.