Jeppson Idea Lab: Portrait of a Man by Anthony van Dyck

Anthony van Dyck, Flemish, 1599–1641 Portrait of a Man, 1619, oil on wood On loan from The Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp

March 14 - October 11, 2015
Jeppson Idea Lab

Centering on a major conservation treatment by former Mellon Fellow Matthew Cushman, this Idea Lab presentation looks at a portrait of an unknown Antwerp man, painted by Anthony Van Dyck very early in the artist's career, just after his departure from Rubens's studio. Scientific research and the cleaning have revealed Van Dyck's process, including numerous changes to the costume, to keep up with evolving fashions, and led to the discovery of the picture’s date.

Left: Anthony van Dyck, Flemish, 1599-1641 Portrait of a Man (before treatment) 1619, oil on wood On loan from The Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp

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Video: Preserving Anthony van Dyck's Portrait of a Man


Matthew Cushman, project conservator at Yale University, and Jon Seydl, director of curatorial affairs and curator of European art, discuss what conservation has revealed about this painting by Anthony van Dyck. Filmed by WGBH Forum Network at the Thursday, March 19, 2015 Master Series event.