Portrait of a Man
Maker
Edward Luttrell
(British, ca. 1650 - 1724)
Additional Title(s)
- Portrait of a Man in a Velvet Cap
ClassificationsDRAWINGS
Datefirst quarter of the 18th Century
Mediumpastel on paper
Dimensions14 3/4 × 11 1/2 in. (37.5 × 29.2 cm.)
frame: 20 1/4 × 17 1/4 in. (51.4 × 43.8 cm.)
SignedSigned in lower right of recto: E Luttrell fe
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Sir Bruce Ingram Collection
Label TextExisting somewhere between drawing and painting, pastels came into widespread use during the second half of the seventeenth century, alongside the rise in demand for portraiture. The powdery medium’s ability to diffuse light made it capable of producing convincing likenesses. Luttrell capitalizes on this property here, placing tiny dots of white in the eyes to imply light reflecting off their surface and along the tear-moistened skin of the lower lids and corners. The informality of the sitter’s dress—his cap and morning gown were garments typically worn at home—indicates that this could be a self-portrait. The scrutiny paid to aging features, such as the lined cheeks and creased brow, suggests likewise (2022).
Status
Not on viewObject number63.52.148
Terms
