A Standing Man
- Artist: Pieter Quast
- Date: probably 1630-5
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
A Standing Man, painted by Pieter Quast, is a fascinating piece of art. His clothes – boots with spurs, a short cape and a wide brimmed hat with an ostrich feather – suggest that he is a soldier. However, it's not known whether this painting is a portrait or a generic image of an anonymous soldier related to the popular guardroom scenes of the time.
What's really interesting about this piece is its history. It was painted over part of another work - we can see the ghostly shapes of a figure on horseback moving from right to left, accompanied by another figure walking next to the horse. Quast probably reused and cut down a panel that was in his studio. This kind of repurposing wasn't uncommon among artists of the time.
The painting itself is a small full-length portrait, similar to others created by Quast. He worked on history subjects as well as portraits, often focusing on everyday life. Oil on wood gives the piece a sense of depth and texture that's characteristic of this medium. This work was likely painted in the Netherlands around 1630-5.
See it in person
A Standing Man hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
