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Renesse, Constantijn van
Portrait of a Man, Possibly the Artist’s Father, Professor Lodewijk van Renesse (1599–1671)
Around 1650–1652

Portraits of loved ones are often valued not only as works of art but also as family mementoes. Here the artist paints his own father, posed with a demonstrative gesture that alludes to his activities as a prominent Calvinist preacher and educator. Renesse studied briefly with Rembrandt but gave up painting in 1653 for a career in government service. The earthy tonality and broad brushwork of this portrait reflect Rembrandt’s technique of the 1650s.

 
Renesse, Constantijn van
Maarssen, Netherlands, 1626–Eindhoven, Netherlands, 1680
Portrait of a Man, Possibly the Artist’s Father, Professor Lodewijk van Renesse (1599–1671)
Around 1650–1652
Oil on canvas
99.0 x 72.4 cm
Gift of Alfred and Isabel Bader, 2014
57-001.26

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