Bust of a Man in Profile to the Left
17th century
Medium
Etching; second state
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 5/8 × 5 11/16 in. (16.9 × 14.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Grace M. Pugh, 1985
Accession Number
1986.1180.1333
Tags
Art Historical Context
Jan Lievens' *Bust of a Man in Profile to the Left*, 17th-century etching its second state, offers visitors a captivating glimpse into the Dutch Golden Age. Measuring 6 5/8 × 5 11/16 inches (16.9 × 14.5 cm), this intimate print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's and Prints department depicts a male figure in strict profile, evoking the classical tradition of Roman coins and Renaissance medals. Acquired through the bequest of Grace M Pugh in 1985, it showcases Lievens' skill in capturing human dignity with subtle line work. As a leading Dutch artist (1607–1674) and close contemporary of Rem...
About the Artist
Jan Lievens · 1607–1674
Jan Lievens (1607–1674) was born in Leiden and showed exceptional artistic promise from an early age, beginning his training with the local painter Joris van Schooten before traveling to Amsterdam around 1617 to study for two years under Pieter Lastman—the same teacher who would later instruct Rembrandt van Rijn. Lievens and Rembrandt, near-contemporaries born in the same city, subsequently shared...