Jan Cossiers (1600 – 1671) - Young Man Gazing Tenderly at the Portrait of His Be

Jan Cossiers (Antwerp, 1600 – 1671)
Young Man Gazing Tenderly at the Portrait of His Beloved
Flanders, circa 1640

Oil on oak panel with parquetry
Presented in a 17th-century giltwood frame decorated with foliage.
Overall dimensions: 91.5 x 75.5 cm. Panel alone: 74 x 57 cm

This poignant painting, attributed to Jan Cossiers, a leading figure of Flemish Baroque art, captures with great sensitivity the theme of love and remembrance. The young man, dressed in a voluminous dark garment with a white collar and wearing a feathered hat, holds in his left hand a small medallion containing a miniature portrait of a young woman. His tender gaze and the gesture of his right hand placed over his chest convey deep emotion, suggesting melancholy, devotion.
The composition is intimate and restrained, highlighting the refined modeling of the face, the rich textures of the fabrics. It demonstrates Cossiers’ technical mastery, shaped by his training under Cornelis de Vos and influenced by both Rubens and Caravaggio. This type of emotionally charged portrait is rare in Cossiers’ oeuvre, which is more commonly associated with genre scenes and formal commissions.

???? Biography of Jan Cossiers
Born in Antwerp on July 15, 1600, Jan Cossiers was the son of painter Antoine Cossiers, from whom he received his initial training. He later studied under Cornelis de Vos and traveled to France and Italy, notably Aix-en-Provence and Rome around 1624, where he encountered the dramatic realism of Caravaggio—an influence that would shape his use of light and expressive figures.
Upon returning to Antwerp, he joined the Guild of Saint Luke in 1628 and became its dean in 1640. He collaborated with Peter Paul Rubens in 1635 on the decorations for the Joyous Entry of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand. His career flourished with religious commissions, portraits, and genre scenes, often marked by emotional intensity and a warm palette.
Cossiers also worked for the Spanish court and the Archdukes of the Southern Netherlands. He died in Antwerp on July 4, 1671, leaving behind a rich and varied body of work, now housed in major European museums such as the Louvre, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille.

Provenance: Robert Merino Collection, then Swiss art market
Good overall condition.