Popular amongst Germany’s rising middle-class, Bruyn’s portraits often depicted public officials, businessmen and scholars during the Northern Renaissance. This depiction of Andre Reidmor, shows the artist using symbolic objects such as the luxurious clothes, rings, and a scroll, to provide clues about his sitter’s social status. While most details about Andre’s life are unknown, the inscription under his coat of arms, and opposite his name, states he was fifty-six. By including the aging man’s wrinkles, Bruyn shows his dedication to realism over flattery.
Q: Would you prefer an artist paint you just as you look, like Bruyn the Elder would, or try to make you look more attractive? Why might someone else feel differently?
