plate no. 1375

Portrait of a Man

oilBaroqueportraitportraitmanhatclothinghandcollar

recreation guide

Nicolaes Maes’s 'Portrait of a Man' (1656) represents a transitional phase in the artist’s career, situated between his early, austere style and the mature Flemish-influenced portraiture of the 1660s. During this period, Maes typically placed sitters dressed in an austere manner against dark backgrounds, focusing on capturing the inner essence and character of the subject rather than merely a literal likeness (Source 2, Source 4). The work is executed in oil, adhering to the Baroque tradition of using transparent glazes and semi-opaque scumbles to build depth and luminosity, a method widely practiced by old masters to achieve rich tonal variations (Source 1).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White Lead)	For the initial grisaille underpainting and structural modeling	Modern tube oils: Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White (or Flake White for historical accuracy)
Red and Yellow earth pigments (Ochres, Siennas, Umbers)	For glazing and scumbling to introduce warm tones and flesh colors	Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber
Oil of Copavia or Linseed Oil	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper flow and drying	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and depth	Dammar varnish or modern painting medium
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso or oak panel

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support, likely a panel or tightly stretched canvas, primed with a white or light ground. Maes’s early works often feature dark backgrounds, suggesting the ground may be left neutral or darkened in specific areas to facilitate the contrast required for the austere presentation (Source 2).

underdrawing

While specific preparatory drawings for this 1656 portrait are not detailed in the sources, Maes’s focus on 'inner essence' and 'character' implies a careful initial layout to ensure the sitter’s pose and expression convey the intended moral quality (Source 4). The underdrawing should be light and flexible, allowing for adjustments during the grisaille stage.

underpainting

Execute a monochrome grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. This stage establishes the values and forms without color, mentally extracting red and yellow tones to focus on the structural light and shadow (Source 1). This technique allows for precise modeling of the face and clothing before introducing complex color interactions.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Underpainting shadows and defining dark areas in the grisaille

Ultramarine

Natural Ultramarine

Underpainting mid-tones and cool shadows in the grisaille

White Lead

Underpainting highlights and mixing with black/ultramarine for the grisaille

Red Ochre/Lake

Red Ochre or Red Lake

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth to flesh tones and clothing

Yellow Ochre

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and highlight areas

composition

The composition likely features a half-length or three-quarter-length figure, consistent with Maes’s standardized formats for portraits during this period. The sitter is probably presented in an austere manner against a dark background, emphasizing the subject’s character and attire without the elaborate staging or garden settings that would appear in his later 1670s works (Source 2). The focus is on the face and upper body, with the expression conveying a serious, closed-lip stare typical of the era’s portraiture (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Lightly sketch the figure’s pose and facial features, focusing on capturing the 'inner essence' and character rather than just physical likeness.
Tip — Ensure the expression is serious and neutral, as subtle emotions are conveyed through the eyes and eyebrows (Source 4).
Preparatory Drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Model the forms and values completely, ignoring color for now.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on what remains in nature if those colors were absent (Source 1).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply transparent coats of red and yellow tones to introduce color.
Tip — Treat the glazing like tinting an engraving with watercolors, building up color gradually (Source 1).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms, and over lighter areas to soften transitions.
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over darker grounds tends to coldness, which can be used for atmospheric effects (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the facial expression, ensuring the eyes and eyebrows convey the subject’s character and moral quality.
Tip — Focus on the eyes for the most complete information about the subject, and use eyebrows to register subtle emotions (Source 4).
Detailing

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to unify the glazes and protect the painting.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing to prevent cracking.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build up color and depth over a dry grisaille underpainting. Glazing involves transparent coats of color, while scumbling involves semi-opaque layers that allow the underlying painting to show through. This method was widely practiced by old masters to achieve rich, luminous effects (Source 1).

Grisaille Underpainting

A monochrome underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms before adding color. This technique allows for precise modeling and is a foundational step in the old master method (Source 1).

Character Portraiture

Focusing on the 'inner essence' and 'moral quality' of the subject rather than just physical likeness. This involves careful attention to the eyes and eyebrows to convey subtle emotions and character traits (Source 4).

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can result in a stiff, lifeless appearance. Copying works like Reynolds’s 'Portraits of Two Gentlemen' can help check this tendency (Source 5).
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, which can lead to inaccurate color perception. The eye is susceptible to fatigue and may see colors differently when viewed alongside their complements (Source 8).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking (Source 1).
→Focusing too much on literal likeness rather than character, resulting in a portrait that lacks the 'inner significance' expected in great portraiture (Source 4).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific details of the sitter’s clothing patterns or jewelry are not described in the sources, so these must be inferred from general knowledge of 1656 Dutch fashion or left generic.
·The exact dimensions and aspect ratio of the canvas are not provided, though Maes used standardized formats (Source 2).
·Specific preparatory sketches or cartoons for this particular portrait are not mentioned, so the underdrawing approach is inferred from general practice.
·The specific lighting setup (e.g., window light direction) is not detailed, though Maes’s early works often feature dark backgrounds suggesting controlled studio lighting.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and stiffness
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Understanding color perception and simultaneous contrast

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Nicolaes Maes↗
- Portrait painting — applied to Compositional style, background, and period context
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 2 — applied to Character portrayal, expression, and eyes/eyebrows focus

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

tips & new artworks in your inbox

no spam — unsubscribe anytime.

or to save artworks, chat, and track progress

chat about this artwork

in this vein