Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman1634 · Study 1999.173

Context from the museum

An extremely wealthy linen and silk merchant in Haarlem, Tieleman Roosterman was 36 years old when Frans Hals painted his portrait. Unlike many Dutch painters of the period, Hals favored strong, visible brushstrokes that convey the vitality of his sitters. Roosterman strikes a confident pose, his costume sober but luxurious: his sleeves are decorated with braid and buttons, and ribbon rosettes encircle the waist of his doublet. The rich black of his suit is offset by the broad linen collar and lace-edged cuffs—fashionable details befitting a successful cloth merchant.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Roosterman may have ordered this portrait--and one of his wife--to commemorate their wedding in 1631.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman is 87 cm wide and 117 cm high, equivalent to approximately 34.3 × 46.1 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.74:1. The rectangular bounding area is 1.02 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 29.0% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 106.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 87 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?