Portrait of a Man

Hugo van der Goes Netherlandish
ca. 1475
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 602

The heightened realism of this portrait, especially the beard stubble, is a hallmark of Hugo van der Goes’s work. By setting the man’s head against a dark interior, next to a bright window, the accentuated contrast of light and shadow enhances the modeling of the facial features. The portrait was later cut into an oval shape from a rectangular panel, which probably originally formed part of a devotional triptych. The sitter, with his hands joined in prayer, directs his gaze toward the missing religious image.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Portrait of a Man
  • Artist: Hugo van der Goes (Netherlandish, Ghent, active by 1467–died 1482 Roode-Klooster)
  • Date: ca. 1475
  • Medium: Oil on wood
  • Dimensions: Oval, overall 12 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. (31.8 x 26.7 cm); painted surface 12 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. (31.8 x 26 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
  • Object Number: 29.100.15
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

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