Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman

What you see

Tieleman Roosterman stands facing us, seen almost to the knees, his black suit filling most of the canvas. His right hand rests on his hip, elbow jutting out to the left, while his other, gloved hand holds a second glove. His face, near the top, breaks into a slight smile beneath an upturned mustache, and he looks straight at us.

The black is not flat: it is split into glossy and matte blacks that set different fabrics apart. Against it, the collar and the lace cuff stand out. Don’t miss the inscription in light lettering on the wall at upper right, the dark bow at his waist and his shadow on the wall.