Portrait of a Clergyman (de Ville) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portrait of a Clergyman |
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| 'The Unknown Clergyman' | |
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| Artist | Guilliam de Ville |
| Year | 1639 |
| Type | Oil on canvas |
| Subject | Unknown clergyman |
| Dimensions | 129.5 cm × 107.1 cm (51.0 in × 42.2 in) |
| Location | Redwood Library and Athenaeum, Newport, Rhode Island |
The Portrait of a Clergyman is an old painting from 1639. It was created by a Dutch artist named Guilliam de Ville (who lived from about 1614 to 1672). This painting shows an older man who was a clergyman, but no one knows for sure who he is! Because of this mystery, it's sometimes called The Unknown Clergyman. Today, you can see this painting at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. Guilliam de Ville mostly painted people and still life scenes. Only one other painting by him is known to exist.
What Does the Painting Show?
This painting shows an older European man. You can see about three-quarters of his body. He is standing and turned a little to his right. His left hand rests on a large book, which is probably a Bible.
The man has light hair and blue eyes. He wears a white clerical collar, which is a special collar worn by Christian clergy. He also wears a black cassock, which is a long, black robe. On the left side of his chest, there is writing that says "Aetatis 59". This means he was 59 years old when the painting was made. The year 1639 is clearly written in two places on the painting. The artist's signature can be seen on a piece of paper near a gavel.
Who is the Mystery Man in the Painting?
For a long time, people have wondered who the man in the painting is. The painting might have once belonged to Stephen Randall (1793–1874). He was a historian from Rhode Island. Randall was very interested in his ancestor, Roger Williams, who lived from about 1603 to 1683. Williams was a Puritan and Baptist leader. He also founded Providence Plantations. Randall might have given the painting to the Redwood Library.
In 1927, an artist named Wilfred Duphinney thought the man in the painting could be Roger Williams himself. Later, in 1938, a writer named Wilber Cheesman Nelson suggested it was John Clarke (1609–1676). Clarke was a doctor and a Baptist minister. He helped found Portsmouth and Newport, Rhode Island. This idea became very popular. A writer named Louis Franklin Asher even put the portrait on the cover of his book about John Clarke in 1997.
However, there is no real proof that the painting is of Roger Williams or John Clarke. The painting says the man was 59 years old in 1639. This means he would have been born around 1580. Both Roger Williams and John Clarke were born much later than 1580. So, the man in the painting cannot be either of them. Asher thought the dates on the painting might be a mistake and should be 1659. But he didn't explain why there would be such a big mistake with the dates.
