Portrait of a Man
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Object Label
In this painting by Frans Hals, an unidentified, well-to-do man holds a miniature portrait of a woman, perhaps his wife or fiancée. The hand holding the miniature appears to extend through the simulated oval frame and into the viewer’s own space, an effect known as trompe l’oeil (fool the eye). The loose and bold brushwork for which Hals is known—especially evident in the man’s lace collar and hair—greatly influenced a number of nineteenth-century artists including Giovanni Boldini, whose painting is on view nearby.
Caption
Frans Hals Dutch, ca. 1580–1666. Portrait of a Man, ca. 1614–1615. Oil on canvas, 29 x 21 3/4 in. (73.7 x 55.2 cm) Frame: 39 x 32 x 4 1/2 in. (99.1 x 81.3 x 11.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the executors of the Estate of Colonel Michael Friedsam, 32.821. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 32.821_SL1.jpg)
Collection
Collection
Artist
Title
Portrait of a Man
Date
ca. 1614–1615
Geography
Place made: Netherlands
Medium
Oil on canvas
Classification
Dimensions
29 x 21 3/4 in. (73.7 x 55.2 cm) Frame: 39 x 32 x 4 1/2 in. (99.1 x 81.3 x 11.4 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the executors of the Estate of Colonel Michael Friedsam
Accession Number
32.821
Rights
No known copyright restrictions
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Frequent Art Questions
Why is his hand outside the frame?
It is a kind of trompe l'oeil effect (meaning "to fool the eye"). A fictitious painted frame is effective means to heighten the illusionistic effect of a picture—especially when part of the subject extends beyond the painted frame, seemingly into the viewer's space outside the canvas. This is the case in Hals' portrait: the young man extends his left hand through the simulated oval frame and into the viewer's space.Fictitious windows or frames have a long history in Western art. The device was first used by ancient Roman sculptors and was taken up by Renaissance portraitists in the 15th century. It was especially popular during the Baroque period (1600s) in Italy, where painters like Caravaggio tried to create the illusion that their paintings of religious subjects were part of the viewer's own space (called co-extensive space) in order to better engage and connect with the viewer. This was a direct response to the preceding elegant but artificial style of Mannerism, which privileged style over content and was not intended to connect with the viewer. Hals used this compositional device (the subject 'breaking out' of the frame) in his portraits for many years. He may have picked it up from his predecessor in Haarlem, Hendrik Goltzius, who had created a series of portrait prints whose sitters extend beyond illusionistic frames. One of the finest examples of this device in Dutch Golden Age painting, however, is Rembrandt's portrait of Agatha Bas in the British Royal Collection.Why is his hand outside of the frame?
A fictitious painted frame is effective means to heighten the illusionistic effect of a picture—especially when part of the subject extends beyond the painted frame, seemingly into the viewer's space outside the canvas. This is the case in Hals' portrait: the young man extends his left hand through the simulated oval frame and into the viewer's space.Trompe-l'oeil (meaning "to fool the eye") frames, windows, and parapets (low protective walls) have a long history in Western art. The device was first used by ancient Roman sculptors and was taken up by Renaissance portraitists in the 15th century. It is similar to the Baroque pictorial convention of co-extensive space used by Hals' Italian contemporary Caravaggio. In Caravaggio's religious paintings, foreshortened figures serve as the bridge between the religious space of the composition and the real world beyond the picture frame, thus inviting the viewer to participate in the message of the Church. This was a direct response to the preceding elegant but artificial style of Mannerism, which privileged style over content and was not intended to connect with the viewer. Instead of a foreshortened figure, Hals has extended his sitter's hand beyond the frame to invite us into the portrait.Did Gerrit Dou always paint on such a small scale?
Although this tiny portrait, it measures only 6 x 5 inches!, is one of Dou’s smallest works, he specialized in small-format paintings, whose details and surfaces even more carefully observed and meticulously rendered as they are here. Dou became the leading figure among the Leiden "fijnschilders" (fine painters) who continued the earlier Netherlandish tradition of meticulous description and superb craftsmanship."Fine painters"?In Dutch, that word literally translates to "fine painters," and refers to the Dutch Golden Age painters who were interested in depicting a natural reproduction of reality, often interior, domestic scenes.Oh! Thank you!Of course!Are there any more Dutch Golden Age painters in the museum?Frans Hals is considered among this group. You can find a work titled "Portrait of a Man" not too far on that wall from the Dou. It is a portrait of a man looking out at the viewer and he sits within a frame painted on the canvas.In which his hand sticks out of the frame?Yes!Why is that?Hals is using a form of trompe l'oeil painting (to fool the eye). First used by classical Roman painters, it was taken up by Renaissance painters in the 15th century. Usually, this effect was used when part of the subject of the painting extended beyond the frame as you see here. It catches the eye of the viewer and is a moment of illusion. Is it real or part of the painting? Trompe l’oeil often shows off the artist’s skill as this form of convincing illusionism is hard to achieve. It also brings several layers of meaning to the painting, drawing attention both to the subject of the painting (the man in black) and the the object of his affection (the miniature portrait he extends), perhaps that of his wife or fiancee. Frans Hals uses it as a device in many of his paintings, so be on the lookout for it when you see his works in other museums!Oh, cool!Yes, it's fun to pick up on! If you enjoy the Dutch Golden Age painters I would suggest a visit to The Met at some point. They have a few rooms dedicated to them and the works are absolutely amazing.I will! Thanks!Are there any other pieces that have the figure reaching out of the frame as is done here?
I don't believe any of the other portraits from our European collection show the subject reaching out of the frame as is done here, but the artist was known for it and it was not a an uncommon practice at the time.It was a direct response to the preceding artificial style of Mannerism, which privileged style over content. Instead of a foreshortened figure, Hals has extended his sitter's hand beyond the frame to invite us into the portrait. This also served as demonstration of artist’s skill at depicting depth.Good to know, thanks again!Do you know if there are any of these small portraits available to view, or the history behind the portable portraits as a whole?
On the history of the practice, as the label highlights, before the advent of photography in the 19th-century, portrait miniatures were a portable and intimate way to access the memory and appearance of loved ones. There are a few examples from the US in the 18th-19th century in Visible Storage on the 5th floor.Good to know, thanks again!Which Renaissance is this?
This painting would be categorized as part of the Northern Renaissance because it comes from the Netherlands as opposed to Italy. "Renaissance" simply refers to a period in Europe when there was a revived interest in Classical art, different styles developed in different regions.Thanks.
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