Portrait of a Man

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen's Portrait of a Man from around 1535 demonstrates this Netherlands painter's skill as a portraitist before his more famous role as Charles V's campaign artist on the Tunis expedition of 1535. Vermeyen's direct, vigorous style reflects his experience at the imperial court. After traveling with Charles V on the Tunis campaign of 1535, Vermeyen produced the famous series of tapestoon cartoons documenting the military expedition, securing his place as one of the foremost recorders of Habsburg imperial history.

The frank, unidealized treatment of the sitter's features and the bold handling of light and shadow distinguish Vermeyen's portrait style from the more polished manner of his Netherlandish contemporaries.