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Portrait of a Thirty-Two Year Old Man

Jan van Scorel, 1521

Portrait of a Thirty-Two Year Old Man is a portrait dated 1521, held by the Department of Paintings of the Louvre. At 51 by 43 centimetres, it is a close-range picture that rewards a slow, careful look. Its recorded location is La Galerie du temps.

Where to see it

The painting belongs to the Department of Paintings of the Louvre, and its recorded location is La Galerie du temps. Displays change, and works can be moved, rotated or taken off view for conservation, so check the museum's official website for current display status before you visit.

What to look for in person

A face meant to be seen up close

The panel measures 51 by 43 centimetres, roughly the size of a large book opened flat. Portraits of this scale were made to be viewed from arm's length rather than across a room, so step in closer than you normally would. At that distance you can follow how the painter handles the transitions between light and shadow on the face, and how carefully the features are described. The modest size also suggests a private picture, intended for a home rather than a public hall.

An age written into the title

The title identifies the sitter only by his age: thirty-two. Rather than a name or a rank, the information that has come down to us is how old he was when he was portrayed. Recording a sitter's age was a familiar practice in portraiture of the early sixteenth century, a way of fixing a person at one moment in life. As you look, consider what the painter chose to show of a man in early maturity: his expression, his bearing and the way he meets, or avoids, the viewer's gaze.

A portrait from 1521

The work is dated 1521, a period when the independent portrait of a private individual had become well established in European painting. Painters of these years increasingly aimed at a convincing likeness of a specific person, built from close observation of skin, hair, clothing and expression. Use the date as a lens: look at the sitter's dress and any accessories as evidence of fashion in his time, and notice how the background and framing focus attention on the individual rather than on a story or setting.

About the painting

Portrait of a Thirty-Two Year Old Man is a painting dated 1521 in the collection of the Department of Paintings of the Louvre. It measures 51 centimetres high and 43 centimetres wide, and its listed location is La Galerie du temps. The title is descriptive rather than personal: the sitter is identified not by name but by his age, which places him in early adulthood at the moment the portrait was made.

For visitors, the most useful approach is to treat the painting as a close encounter. Its dimensions mean it works best at short range, where the details of the face and costume can be read clearly. Ask yourself what the painter wanted you to know about this man. Look at the direction of his gaze, the set of his mouth, the position of his head and shoulders, and how light falls across his features. Then turn to his clothing, which can say much about status and taste in the early sixteenth century.

The year 1521 sits within a lively period for portraiture in Europe, when patrons commissioned likenesses of themselves for family, friends or posterity. Portraits from these decades often recorded practical information, such as the date or the sitter's age, alongside the image itself. This painting's title preserves exactly that kind of detail, even though the man's identity is not given here.

Because gallery arrangements change, confirm on the museum's official website that the work is on view before planning a trip around it.

Key facts

Sources

• Wikidata Q29648663
• www.louvre.fr
• contact.louvre.fr