Jacob van Oost, the Elder - Portrait of a Boy Aged Eleven [1650]

Jacob van Oost, the Elder - Portrait of a Boy Aged Eleven [1650], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

This portrait is signed with the painter's monogram and dated 1650; the age of the boy is recorded as eleven. The boy is turned away from the spectator, looking to the left. The design is concentrated upon the face and its expression, and the colouring is muted, enlivened only by the fur of the muff and the hat.

Jacob van Oost, the Elder was the leading artist of 17th-century Bruges. He painted many altarpieces in the churches of his native city; he was also exceptionally gifted as a portrait painter. He entered the Guild of Saint Luke in 1619, becoming a master two years later. He visited Rome some time in the 1620s. In addition to Caravaggio, Van Oost was influenced by recent developments in painting in Antwerp, notably the work of Rubens and Van Dyck. He served as an officer in the Guild of Saint Luke in Bruges on a number of occasions.

[Oil on canvas, 80.5 x 63 cm]