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Dutch, 'Portrait of a Young Man in Black', about 1635-40

About the work

This picture by an unknown artist was once thought to portray Lucius Cary, Viscount Falkland, but a portrait of him in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire shows a different man. He looks out at us with a faint smile, his long, thick hair brushing his forehead and pale cheeks. His costume seems to date the portrait to the second half of the 1630s.

The portrait includes a small symbolic depiction of a tiny seated Cupid, god of love, wearing a crown. He holds an arrow, appearing to use it to pierce the flaming heart on which he sits. Below him is a Latin motto: sic puer ille manet (‘he is still young’). It’s not clear what exactly this emblematic addition refers to.

Key facts

Full title
Portrait of a Young Man in Black
Artist
Dutch
Date made
about 1635-40
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
73.8 × 58.2 cm
Inscription summary
Inscribed
Acquisition credit
Bequeathed by John G. Griffiths, 1923
Inventory number
NG3725
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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