Portrait of a Man

between 1623 and 1630

Diego Rodríguez de Silva Velázquez Spanish, 1599-1660

On View

European, Level 2, South Wing

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Exhibition History

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Title Portrait of a Man

Artwork Date between 1623 and 1630

Artist Diego Rodríguez de Silva Velázquez

Life Dates 1599-1660

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. Spanish

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. ----------

Medium Oil on canvas

Dimensions Unframed: 20 1/4 × 15 3/4 inches (51.4 × 40 cm) Framed: 33 × 28 1/4 × 2 7/8 inches (83.8 × 71.8 × 7.3 cm)

Classification Paintings

Department European Painting

Credit Founders Society Purchase, General Membership Fund

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 29.264

Markings

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Provenance

before 1828, Count Koenneritz (Spain); [as by Murillo]
(J. Boehler, Munich, Germany);
(Böhler and Steinmeyer, Inc., New York, New York, USA);
1929-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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Published References

Mayer, A.L. "Ein unbekanntes männerbildnis von Velázquez." Pantheon 4, suppl. 60 (July 1929): pp. 334-336 (ill.).

Turkel-Deri, F. "Valentiner Buys a Velázquez for Detroit." Art News, 14 Sept. 1929, p. 1.

Valentiner, W.R. "Portrait of a Nobleman by Diego Velázquez." Bulletin of the DIA 11, no. 2 (November 1929): pp. 18-20 (cover ill.).

Mayor, August L. "Diego Velazquez (1599–1660)." In Unknown Masterpieces, ed. Wilheim R. Valentiner. London, 1930, unpaginated, no. 87 (ill.).

Heil, W. Catalogue of Paintings in the Permanent Collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, 1930, p. 138, cat. 235 (ill.).

Collins Baker, C.H. "Some Velázquez Problems." Connoisseur 90 (September 1932): pp. 148-149 (ill.).

Tietze, H. Meisterwerke Europäische Malerei in Amerika. Vienna, 1935, p. 13.

Mayer, A.L. Velázquez, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Pictures and Drawings. London, 1936, no. 391.

Scheyer, E. Baroque Painting. Exh. cat., Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, 1937, pp. 16-19 (fig. 6).

Tietze, Hans, ed. Masterpieces of European Paintings in America. New York, 1939, pp. 13 (ill.), 308, no. 13.

Mayer, A.L. Velázquez. Paris, 1940, p. 32, (ill.) pl. 23.

WPA Michigan. Michigan: A Guide to the Wolverine State. New York, 1941, p. 256.

Spanish Painting. Exh. cat., Toledo Museum of Art. Toledo, OH, 1941, p. 97 (fig. 60).

Lafuente Ferrari, E. Velázquez: The Paintings and Drawings of Velázquez. London, 1943, no. 24, (ill.) pl. 27.

Richardson, E.P. ed. Detroit Institute of Arts Catalogue of Paintings. Detroit, 1944, p.138, no. 235.

Lafuente Ferrari, E. Velázquez. Barcelona, 1944, no. 27 or 72?, (ill.) pl. X.

Du Gué Trappier, E. Velázquez. New York, 1948, pp. 88, 91, (ill.) p. 87.

Masterpieces of Painting and Sculpture from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, 1949, p. 173.

50 Paintings by Old Masters. Exh. cat., Art Gallery of Ontario. Toronto, 1950, no. 46.

Pantorba, B. de. La vida y la orba de Velázquez. Madrid, 1955, p. 94, no. 34.

Masterpieces of Art in Memory of W.R. Valentiner. Exh. cat., North Carolina Museum of Art. Raleigh, 1959, p. 65, no. 43.

El Greco to Goya. Exh. cat., John Herron Museum of Art and Rhode Island School of Design. Indianapolis and Providence, 1963, no. 80.

López-Rey, J. Velázquez. A Catalogue Raisonné of His Ouevre. London, 1963, no. 556, pp. 312, 191, no. 556, pl. 388.

Art International Magazine 7, no. 7, September 25, 1963, p. 60 (ill.).

Camón Aznar, J. Velázquez. Madrid, 1964, vol. 1, pp. 276-278 (ill.).

Pantorba, B. de. Tutta la pittura di Velázquez. Milan, 1964, p. 43, (ill.) pl. 45.

Grandes Maestros. Exh. cat., Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas. Caracas, 1967, no. 15 (ill.).

Asturias, M.A. and P.M. Bardi. L'opera completa di Velázquez. 1969, no. 27.

Classici Dell' Arte, Velázquez. Milan, color pl. 15.

Cummings, F.J. and C.H. Elam. Detroit Institute of Arts Illustrated Handbook. Detroit, 1971, p. 105.

Gudiol, J. Velázquez 1599-1660. London, 1973, pp. 86, 327-328, no. 48.

López-Rey, J. Velázquez the artist as a maker with a catalogue raisonné. Lausanne and Paris, 1979.

Brown, J. Velázquez Painter and Courtier, New Haven and London, 1986, p. 282.

Velázquez. Exh. cat., Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 1989, p. 82.

Masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Exh. cat., Bunkamura Museum of Art, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Ibaraki, 1989, pp. 59, 207, cat. 27 (ill.).

Marini, M. Velázquez. Milan, 1997, p. 154, no. 37.

Salort Pons, S. Diego Velázquez, pintor 1599-1660, Madrid 2008, p. 70.

Velazquez. Sous la direction scientifique de Guillaume Kientz. Exh. cat., Grand Palais. Paris, 2015, pp. 174-175 (ill.).

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Diego Rodríguez de Silva Velázquez, Portrait of a Man, between 1623 and 1630, oil on canvas. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, General Membership Fund, 29.264.