Portrait of a Man in an Interior 1634 - 1654

Karel Slabbaert painted this oil on canvas, titled "Portrait of a Man in an Interior," sometime in the mid-17th century. The painting is a great example of Dutch Golden Age portraiture. It's filled with symbols of wealth and status, such as the rich fabrics and the globe. In the Dutch Republic, the rising merchant class increasingly wanted images that reflected their worldly success. The open book and globe suggest that the sitter is an educated man. The skull and the overall somber and shadowed atmosphere also reflect the prevailing Calvinist attitudes of the time. Prosperity, but with the acknowledgement of death. To understand the painting better, it helps to know about the history of the Dutch Republic, and the growing art market during the period. Researching the iconology of the objects can also help. It is these social and cultural contexts that give the art its meaning.