The artwork titled “Thomas Howard, Second Count of Arundel” is a creation of the eminent artist Peter Paul Rubens. It was conceived approximately between the years 1629 and 1630. This oil on panel painting embodies the Baroque movement, renowned for its dramatic expression and detail. The piece measures 67 by 52 centimeters and can be categorized under the portrait genre. Its current residence is at the esteemed Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.
This portrait captures Thomas Howard with a direct gaze towards the viewer, exuding a sense of nobility and introspection. The use of chiaroscuro, a distinctive characteristic of the Baroque era, is evident in the play of light and shadow on the subject’s face, highlighting the features with a lifelike vividness. The artist’s brushwork provides texture to the hair and the intricate details in the attire, including the armor glimpsed beneath the garment, which suggests the subject’s status and martial background. The rich, dark tones in the background complement the figure, allowing the sitter to emerge powerfully from the canvas. Overall, the artwork conveys a potent sense of the sitter’s presence and character, embodying the grandeur of portraiture during the Baroque period.
