Portrait of a Bearded Man in a Doublet and Skull Cap 

Lagneau rendered this portrait of a bearded man in doublet and skull cap in graphite and perhaps charcoal, sometime between 1590 and 1610. The man’s gaze is direct, yet his expression is difficult to read. His eyes are heavy, and his face is lined, suggesting a life marked by time and perhaps hardship. During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, portraiture served as a powerful tool for conveying social status and individual identity. What does it mean to capture the likeness of an individual? Is this man a merchant, a scholar, or perhaps a member of the clergy? His clothing suggests a certain level of affluence. The doublet, a close-fitting jacket, and the skull cap were typical garments of the time, yet they also speak to the man’s social standing. Lagneau’s work provides a glimpse into the era's complex interplay between identity, representation, and social status. What stories do you imagine when looking at this man?