Portret van een onbekende man 1580 - 1595

Hendrick Goltzius made this drawing titled 'Portret van een onbekende man' with pen in grey-brown ink. Goltzius was a Dutch printmaker, draughtsman, and painter. He was a leading Northern Mannerist artist of the late 16th century. While the sitter is unknown to us, his identity is clearly rooted in wealth and status. The man's neatly trimmed beard, the style of his hair, and the finely pleated ruff around his neck are all indicators of class in the Netherlands at the turn of the 17th century. How was identity performed, and codified, in the late 16th century? What do we learn from the way this man presents himself? Is he challenging, or upholding, the status quo? Ultimately, Goltzius's portrait invites us to reflect on the intricacies of identity, both past and present. What aspects of ourselves do we choose to reveal, and what do we conceal?