Portrait of Abraham van der Doort

This portrait is perhaps one of the most interesting works in the Hermitage collection of English painting. Dobson was the first truly independent native artist amongst a dominant mass of foreigners working in Britain. Of course he could not totally avoid the influence of Van Dyck but his portraits were more realistic, revealing a desire to capture the individual's appearance rather than simply express his status. Abraham van der Doort (c. 1575/80-1640) was a medallist, Keeper of pictures and rarities to King Charles I of England, and author of the first catalogue of the royal pictures. This portrait would seem to have been painted not long before his tragic death: van der Doort committed suicide after mislaying a miniature entrusted to him by the king. The artist concentrates our attention on the troubled gaze, creating a contrast between the dark ground and the face appearing from the gloom. Small, vivid brushstrokes fill the image with the fluttering of life.