Portrait Of A Young Man With A Candle Attributed To Wolfgang Heimbac (1615-1678)

Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 54 x 43 cm. 17th-century carved and gilded wooden frame. The painter presents the portrait of a young man holding a candle in his hand, illuminating his face framed by curls of hair. He wears a brown suit with a beige collar; only his red beret adds a touch of color to this otherwise muted brown palette. A German painter originally from Olendburg, who, despite being deaf, traveled extensively and spent almost his entire career on the move. Around 1630, he left Olendburg for the Northern Netherlands to further his training and refine his skills, likely passing through Amsterdam, Haarlem, Delft, and Utrecht. During his travels, he learned to develop great adaptability, evolving his works according to demand. In Rome, he painted the portrait of Pope Innocent X; in Florence, he worked for the Medici; and in Denmark, he was court painter to Frederick III. It was by copying Willem Duyster's painting "The Officer with the Candle" that he became familiar with this technique. The use of candles as a light source in interiors was developed by Gerard van Honthorst and Georges de La Tour.