Mid-19th-Century Dutch School

Portrait Of A Navigator

Mid-19th-Century Dutch School

Portrait Of A Navigator

This mid-19th-century Dutch oil painting depicts a well-tailored navigator sitting proudly alongside a table.

With an expression that alludes to both accrued wisdom and mild terror, he’s working hard to appear calm. Clearly a travelled man of some repute, the artist draws our eye towards the tools of his trade. On his left, a telescope, dividers, and a map signal his navigational pursuits. Perhaps he’s a merchant, travelling the seas to trade various goods.

Dating to around 1850, the hairstyle, lack of mutton chops and clean-shaven appearance are in line with the current fashions. For comparison, here’s a self-portrait from 1855 by Edgar Degas (1834-1917).

It’s signed ‘Paul’ in the lower right.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 15” x 18” / 38cm x 46cm
Year of creation: c. 1850
Condition: Canvas relined. Age-related pitting.

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