San Diego Museum of Art - Portrait of an Officer

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Portrait of an Officer

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Bookmark: https://collection.sdmart.org/objects-1/info/13270

Portrait of an Officer

Ferdinand Bol, Dutch, (June 24, 1616–August 24,1680)

Creation date: 1642

Creation place: Netherlands

Other Information

Type: Etching

Medium and Support: Etching

Credit Line: Gift of George C. Kenney II and Olga Kitsakos-Kenney

Accession Number: 1998.126

Dimensions: 5 1/4 in. x 4 3/8 in. (13.34 cm x 11.11 cm)

Provenance

George C. Kenney II, La Jolla, California ( - December 28, 1998)

San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California (December 28, 1998 - )

Label Copy

Rembrandt's penchant for depicting himself and others in exotic paraphernalia is well known, but it was a taste shared by many contemporary Dutch artists. This image is traditionally identified as a "Portrait of an Officer" because of his feathered cap, gloved hands, and his gorget, the armored collar worn by army officers. Such costumes were common studio props, however, and it has also been suggested that this is an exotic self- protrait of Bol. His mustache and prominent nose do resemble those of Bol's known self-portraits, and the sitter's pose is familiar from Rembrandt's Self-Portrait leaning on a Stone Sill of 1639.

Although this might be a self-portrait, the etching may have been sold primarily as a kind of character study, rather than as a record of Bol's appearance.
Last Updated: 3/23/2010

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