Portrait of Arent Jacobsz. van der Graeff (1557-1642)

Arent Jacobsz. van der Graeff (1557–1642) was a Delft patrician whose extremely long life — he lived to eighty-five — meant that he was portrayed at different stages across decades. The 1630 portrait by Mierevelt captures him at seventy-three, and the Cincinnati Art Museum's holding of this work reflects the significant movement of Dutch Golden Age portraiture into American museum collections through late nineteenth and early twentieth century acquisitions. Van der Graeff's advanced age makes this portrait unusual in Mierevelt's output, which more commonly features sitters in their thirties to sixties: the deep lines, sunken cheeks, and white hair of genuine old age presented a different challenge to the portraitist than the more conventionally vigorous faces of middle-aged civic leaders. Mierevelt's handling of aged physiognomy demonstrates his ability to push beyond formula when confronted with a face that demanded honest observation.

The panel support is ideal for the detailed rendering of aged skin — its creases, discolourations, and the particular quality of elderly flesh. Mierevelt employs thinly applied glazes to achieve the translucency of old skin over the cheekbones, with more substantial paint in the shadows. The white hair and beard are rendered with fine, controlled brushstrokes, distinguishing their texture from the linen collar above which they fall.