This delicate, fanciful portrait and its pair, walters 38. 227, were probably made as mementos of the marriage in 1626 of jan pellicorne (1597-after 1653) and susanna van collen, both from wealthy merchant families. The leopard skin thrown rakishly over his shoulder, his blouse, and the strap (for a quiver) all evoke the romantic, care-free, but strictly imaginary life of ancient greek shepherds, as popularized by theatrical productions of the time. His carefully disheveled hair suggests a shepherd, but his neat mustache and goatee mark him as really a gentleman. Poelenburch was chiefly a painter of landscapes with biblical or mythological subjects who brought back from a trip to rome a love of italian luminosity. His intimate portraits, which share this luminosity, were in great demand with wealthy patrons, and were often displayed in ebony wood frames. Date: circa 1626 (Baroque). Place of creation: Utrecht. Dimensions: height: 9.8 cm (3.8 in); width: 7.5 cm (2.9 in). Medium: oil on copper. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Cornelis van Poelenburgh - Portrait of Jan Pellicorne - Walters 38226
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