About this artwork
In the early 16th century, Antwerp experienced remarkable growth as a commercial center, and Quentin Massys was one of the most important and innovative of its many painters. In this relatively early and rather damaged portrait, he followed 15th-century tradition by employing an immobile pose, barely allowing his subject’s hands to appear above the sill of the picture frame. Yet Massys developed a distinctive and nuanced manner of modeling the face, which here conveys a strong sense of individual character. The pink, or carnation, held by the sitter could refer to matrimony or to Christ’s incarnation.
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Artist
- Quentin Massys
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Title
- Portrait of a Man with a Pink
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Origin
- Netherlands
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Date
- 1504–1514
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Medium
- Oil on panel
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Dimensions
- 43.8 × 29.2 cm (17 1/4 × 11 1/2 in.) Painted surface: 43.2 × 28.4 cm (17 × 11 3/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of John J. Glessner
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Reference Number
- 1894.1025
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email .