Portret van een onbekende man 1549 - 1584

This is an engraving of an unknown man created at an unknown date by an anonymous artist. Looking at the man’s attire, his elaborate ruff and cap are details that signify wealth and status in the Northern European Renaissance. The fact that the artist and sitter are unknown to us raises important questions. Who had access to the art world, and whose images were preserved? What were the social and economic conditions that determined who was remembered and who was forgotten? Engravings like these were often commissioned by the sitter, suggesting that this man wanted to leave a record of his existence, to enter the historical record, but, equally, the fact that it remains without a name makes us wonder about the vicissitudes of history and fame. Art historians look to visual clues and contextual evidence, such as fashion trends, social customs, and economic data, to better understand such images and the world they reflect.