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Portrait of an Old Man

Hugo van der Goes Netherlandish
ca. 1470–75
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 602

In this closely observed and sympathetic portrayal of an old man, special attention is given to how light models the subject’s wrinkled, time-worn face. This objective realism is characteristic of the paintings of Hugo van der Goes, especially those of the early 1470s. However, Hugo’s works do not include independent portraits, and additionally, the technique of oil on paper is relatively rare. The extremely tight cropping of the image, uniform brownish background, and absence of any projecting shadow from the head indicate that this portrait was made as a detailed preliminary study for inclusion in a larger composition.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Portrait of an Old Man
  • Artist: Hugo van der Goes (Netherlandish, Ghent, active by 1467–died 1482 Roode-Klooster)
  • Date: ca. 1470–75
  • Medium: Oil on paper, laid down on wood
  • Dimensions: Overall 8 3/4 x 6 1/2 in. (22.2 x 16.5 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, 2009 Benefit Fund, Hester Diamond Gift, Victor Wilbour Memorial Fund, Mary Harriman Foundation and Friends of European Paintings Gifts, Alfred N. Punnett Endowment Fund, Marquand and Charles B. Curtis Funds, and University Place Foundation Gift, 2010
  • Object Number: 2010.118
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

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Jacob Willemsz van Veen (1456–1535), the Artist's Father, Maarten van Heemskerck Netherlandish, Oil on wood
Jacob Willemsz van Veen (1456–1535), the Artist's Father
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1532
Jan (1438/41–1516), First Count of Egmond; Magdalena, Countess of Egmond (1464–1538), North Netherlandish Painter Netherlandish, Oil on canvas, transferred from wood (.122, the Count); oil on wood (.118, the Countess)
Jan (1438/41–1516), First Count of Egmond; Magdalena, Countess of Egmond (1464–1538)
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Portrait of a Man, Hugo van der Goes Netherlandish, Oil on wood
Portrait of a Man
Hugo van der Goes
ca. 1475
Portrait of an Old Man, Hans Memling Netherlandish, Oil on wood
Portrait of an Old Man
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ca. 1475
A Benedictine Monk, Hugo van der Goes Netherlandish, Oil on wood
A Benedictine Monk
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