Dimensions: support: 1245 x 1022 mm frame: 1395 x 1203 x 84 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Isaac Fuller's "Portrait of an Unknown Man," though the OCR suggests it may be John Cleveland. I'm struck by how much the sitter's dark clothing contrasts with the architectural drawing he's presenting. What can you tell me about the cultural context of such portraits? Curator: This painting prompts us to consider the public role of portraiture in 17th-century England. The subject's presentation, including the architectural plan, speaks to a world of patronage and intellectual engagement. Does this inform our understanding of the sitter's status? Editor: It does. The drawing suggests he was an architect, or perhaps someone who commissioned buildings. Curator: Exactly. Fuller's piece is a fascinating intersection of personal representation and social identity, reflecting the politics of image-making during this period. Editor: I hadn't considered the political aspects so directly. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It's always rewarding to consider how art operates within broader historical forces.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/fuller-portrait-of-an-unknown-man-t00056
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The name of the poet John Cleveland (upper left) was added in the early eighteenth century, when the Earl of Oxford included this painting in his collection of portraits of famous writers. However, the architectural plan suggests that this man was either an architect or an antiquarian. Isaac Fuller was a portrait and decorative painter who worked in Oxford and London. According to Sir Peter Lely he spent much of his time drinking in London taverns. The harsh drama of this portrait is typical – as is the exaggerated depiction of muscles, possibly learned from his teacher in Paris, François Perrier. Gallery label, April 2005
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