Self Portrait of Gerard Dou. Paul Rajon's etching.

Description: possible self-portrait in the National Gallery, London, published in 1876 by Seeley, Jackson & Halliday (London) (fl.18671880) in Philip Gilbert Hamertons (ed.) The Portfolio: An Artist Periodical. Inscribed on plate within the image borderline and following the inscription on the original painting in background at right: CDOV (G. DOU). Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (centre) P. Rajon aq. ft.". The National Gallery (London) offers the following insights about Gerard Dous (possible) self-portrait, Portrait of a Man, 1635-40 (oil on oak, 18.9 x 14.7 cm): In this tiny portrait, an affable young man turns towards us, settling his elbow over the back of his chair. His pipe is paused and he meets our gaze with an easy, relaxed look. Perhaps he has just taken a puff; the tobacco is glowing and smoke twists upwards from the bowl. Other minute details from the pattern of the gold braid on the mans hat to the reflections in his eyes add to the atmosphere, and it is through such meticulous painting that Gerrit Dou has managed to capture the sense of a moment in time, rather than just a deadpan likeness. But the realism belies the point of the painting. Until recently it was thought to be a self portrait, but the similarities with known paintings of Dou are too generic for us to be sure. It is more likely that this is a tronie an image of a stock character which were highly popular in the Netherlands at the time..