Jan Mytens
The Hague 1614 - 1670
A Portrait of a Gentleman standing before a Cliff with one Arm on his Hip
Medium:
Oil on Canvas
Category:
Dimensions:
118.1(h) x 94(w) cms
Framed Dimensions:
135(h) x 111(w) cms
Signed:
Signed lower center: 'Mytens Fe. / 1666'
Essay:
As A. N. Bauer has noted (see LITERATURE), the sitter's pose in this portrait featuring an arm struck confidently on the hip and the other hanging loosely is one Jan Mijtens used most frequently in his portraits of men, and notably, men of distinction. Portraits adopting a closely comparable pose include Mijtens' likenesses of Christian Huygens (circa 1655-1660; cat. no. A5), Jacob de Witte (1660, cat. A97), Johan de Geer (circa 1665-1670, cat. A18), Binnert Heringa Sirtems van Grovestins (1669-1670, cat. A107), Lord Carnstoun (cat. A11), and Johan van Arnhem (cat. A12).
The painting is recorded under item no 149109 in the Rkd (with incorrect sizes).
Provenance:
Sale: Auction Monteforte, Worth Park, July 18, 1915, lot 680;
Collection of Booth Tarkington;
Christie's, London, November 24, 1961, lot 118 (160 gns to Nicholls);
Private collection since 1937
Literature:
A.N. Bauer, Jan Mijtens (1613/14-1670): Leben und Werk, Petersberg, 2006, cat. no. A20 (Accepted Works), p. 173, illustrated p. 367 (as Portrait of an unknown man in a landscape, present location unknown, 1666).