About this artwork
The youthful sitter in this portrait pauses in the midst of drawing a nude figure to shape his quill pen. On the shelf behind him are pots of paint, a shell probably used to mix pigment and binder, and a bottle of oil. It has often been assumed that this is a self-portrait, given the individualized features, like the mole on the man’s cheek, and the range of artmaking tools throughout the scene. Whether the artist depicted himself or a colleague, the presentation here leaves no doubt as to the profession of this sitter or the painter’s esteem for it.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 207
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Department
- Painting and Sculpture of Europe
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Artist
- German
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Title
- Portrait of a Young Artist
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Place
- Germany (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1490–1510
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Medium
- Oil on panel
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Inscriptions
- Inscribed over window: MN
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Dimensions
- 45.7 × 32.8 cm (18 × 12 7/8 in.); Framed: 64.5 × 50.5 cm (25 1/2 × 19 3/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection
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Reference Number
- 1947.77
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/59891/manifest.json