Artist / Maker / Factory
JOHAN BAPT. CLOSTERMAN (1660-1713)
Medium / Material
oil on canvas
Dimensions
23.50inch wide
28.50inch high
(59.69 cm wide 72.39 cm high)
Description
JOHAN BAPT. CLOSTERMAN (1660-1713)
‘Believed to be a Self Portait, circa 1690’
oil on canvas - 28.5 x 23.5ins
Possibly born in Osnabruck, son of a painter. Closterrman went on to study in Paris with Henry Tiburin for two years under Francois de Troy, and then settled in London in 1691.
He was associated with John Riley until his death in 1691, at first painting drapery for him, then on to paint portraits on his own by the mid 1680’s. Having a preference for Baroque poses with highly stylized draperies he was considered by Simon to be ‘one of the most original Baroque painters working in England’.
In the 1690’s he attracted the patronage of the Dukes of Marlborough & Somerset. He painted The Children of John Taylor of Bifrons Park circa 1696, which is in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Waterhouse considered this to be his masterpiece.
In 1698 he accompanied James Stanhope to Madrid, then to Rome in 1699 where he painted Carlo Maratti, greatly influenced by the Antique, more in accord with his new patron the 3rd Earl Shaftsbury, circa 1700-01, which is also in the NPG London.
He left Rome for Hanover and the Courts of Germany in 1706. It is believed he devoted his later years to dealing in old masters.
It is also reported he married a worthless girl, who robbed him of all he possessed and then ran away; this sent him mad and soon afterwards he died.
Closterman was buried in London on 24 May 1711.
This fascinating painting shows a man of about thirty with a direct gaze to the viewer with some intensity. On closer inspection one sees that his upper body is tuned to the left and a cloak covers his outstretched right arm. It then becomes clear that he is painting himself whilst looking into a mirror. Both the style and technique of the painting relate to Closterman and while no other iconography can be found at present the evidence is compelling for being his self-portrait.
Literature
Bibl Dictionary of Portrait Painters in Britain by Brian Stewart & Mervyn Cutten
Exhibitions
Works Represented in:
National Portrait Gallery, London; National Museum of Wales, Belton House Lincolnshire; Calke Abbey; Christ’s College Cambridge; Hardwick Hall; Kings Lynn Museums; Leeds City Art Galleries; Palace of Westminster; Bodleian Library Oxford; Christ’s Church College Oxford; Petworth House and many more
