Justus Sustermans, from 'The Iconography'
Original title: Justus Sustermans, from "The Iconography"
kurzbeschreibung
Anthony van Dyck's etching portrays Justus Sustermans as part of the series "The Iconography." The portrait dates from the 17th century and is presented here in the fifth of five states. It shows the painter in Baroque attire, with a Latin poem added below the image.
Description
A man meets our gaze, dressed in an elaborately decorated garment with long sleeves and a prominent collar. His curly hair is swept back. He looks directly at the viewer with a neutral expression. At the bottom, a Latin poem names "Iustus Suttermans" and his origins as a painter from Antwerp. The delicate strokes and lines are characteristic of etching.
Context
Van Dyck conceived "The Iconography" as a portrait gallery of notable contemporaries. Justus Sustermans, a Fleming, worked primarily as court painter to the Medici in Florence. This 17th-century etching places him within that collection. The Latin poem beneath the portrait emphasizes the sitter's origin and profession.
Impact
Fine lines and the precise rendering of Baroque clothing give the print great richness of detail. The sitter's direct gaze creates a sense of closeness and immediacy. Together with the Latin text, it evokes a dignified, learned atmosphere.
Technique
This work is an etching, an intaglio process in which lines are bitten into a metal plate. The fifth of five states points to the print's history: the plate was reworked several times. The delicate strokes and clear linework are typical of 17th-century etching.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)