John Closterman, 
German / English 1660-1711- 
Portrait of a young man, standing half-length in a...

John Closterman, 
German / English 1660-1711- 

Portrait of a young man, standing half-length in a landscape, holding a flintlock; 

oil on canvas, 128.5 x 105.4 cm. 

Provenance: 
Private Collection, UK. 

Note: 
We are grateful to Dr Malcolm Rogers for confirming the attribution of the present work and for suggesting a date of c.1700. 

Closterman (anglicised from ‘Kloosterman’) was born in Germany and is thought to have arrived in England in 1681, following the death of the court painter Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680). He went on to develop a strong reputation as one of London's leading portraitists in the late 17th century, depicting royalty, nobility and key society figures of the period. This finely painted portrait was painted in c.1700, towards the end of Closterman's life, during which time he was maintaining a successful portrait painting practice and employed at least one assistant. The subject, with the young man standing in an open landscape and holding a flintlock shotgun, was favoured by Closterman. 

Interestingly, the present work visually articulates the development of the modern three-piece suit of a jacket, waistcoat, and breeches. The sitter’s gleaming pale blue jacket is fitted to the waist and falls out into full folds, allowing freedom of movement. The large, loose sleeves reveal the full sleeves of the shirt, which billow from the tight cuffs. The left sleeve of the sitter’s gold brocaded waistcoat peeks through the large cuffs of his jacket – an example of a waistcoat with sleeves before they were later jettisoned in the middle of the 18th century. The waistcoat is lined with a luxurious light blue fabric, and the jacket’s lining matches the waistcoat’s gold brocade fabric of a fleshy foliate pattern. 

The full linen cravat emulates the fashionable shape known as a ‘Steinkirk’ whereby the two ends are twisted together, and one end is tucked through the buttonhole to secure. This style of cravat was fashionable among both men and women at the end of the 17th century and throughout the early 18th century. The loose folds of material that comprise the cravat are echoed in the excess of fabric throughout the costume, particularly in the cuffs of the shirt and jacket. It may come as no surprise that Closterman was employed as a drapery painter during his early career in England. Captured in rich brushstrokes, the luxurious folds of fabric throughout the cravat are executed with an expert eye. 

Framing the cravat, the sitter’s curls cascade in thick ringlets. However, there is no doubt that this young man’s fine head of hair is not his own. Throughout most of the 18th century, wig-wearing signified gentility. Indeed, specific styles and fashions were ever-changing, and each decade brought with it a new look. During the first decade of the 18th century, when this portrait was painted, wigs were truly the height of fashion – symbolically and literally, as it was during this time that wigs reached their maximum height. The presence of pentimenti around the sitter’s head here is suggestive of the artist’s reworking of the exact outline at the crown. The two tall peaks at the top of the head are separated by a pronounced central parting, a style that was particularly popular at this date. We are grateful to Jacqui Ansell, Senior Lecturer Christie’s Education, for her commentary on men’s fashion which has been incorporated into this catalogue note.