Utrecht, 1571 -1638 · Dutch civic portrait and elegance

A man presents himself without a spectacular story: face, collar, dark clothing and measured background are enough to make social rank a calm and immediately readable presence.

Paulus Moreelse was born in Utrecht in 1571 and died there in 1638. A student of the portraitist Michiel van Mierevelt, he probably stayed in Italy before returning to his hometown. Painter, architect and important player in civic life, he participated in the founding of the guild of Saint Luke of Utrecht and held several municipal functions. His portraits met the expectations of an urban elite who wished to combine resemblance, dignity and restraint. The Portrait of a Man presented in this collection belongs to this tradition: the figure stands out clearly, the dark costume enhances the face and the light collar, while the economy of accessories focuses the eye on the nobody. Around Moreelse, the workshop variations and style attributions are numerous; the Metropolitan Museum notably preserves a Portrait of a young boy classified as "the style of Paulus Moreelse", around 1637. This caution reminds us that the master's formula was taken up by collaborators and followers. Most of his language remains the social precision of the portrait. The essential part of his language remains the social precision of the portrait. The "Paulus Moreelse" selection notably compares Portrait of a Man. His reading favors movement.

Moreelse does not look for the event around the model: he makes the outfit, the look and the self-control the very event of the portrait.