Frans Hals (Dutch, Antwerp 1582/83–1666 Haarlem), Portrait of a Bearded Man with a Ruff, 1625. Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm). The Jules Bache Collection, 1949; 49.7.34 © 2000–2017 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

As the original inscription indicates, the sitter was thirty-six when portrayed by Hals. The portrait's immediacy is enhanced by vivid brushwork, strong modeling, and a glance and heartfelt gesture which respond to the viewer. The oval framing device was adapted from Dutch portrait engravings but is more illusionistic than in almost any print.