Portrait of René Descartes

What it is

An oil painting by the Dutch artist Frans Hals, made around 1649, showing a man with shoulder-length dark wavy hair, a thin mustache, and a white collar over a dark jacket. It is held at the Statens Museum for Kunst.

Why it matters

This portrait is believed to have been painted from life and has become the model for nearly all later images of Descartes, shaping how he has been pictured for centuries. It is a rare case of a philosopher's likeness coming directly from an artist who may have observed him in person, rather than being imagined afterward.

Look closer

• What does the sitter's expression and posture suggest about how the artist wanted him to appear?
• Why might a small, informal oil sketch rather than a grand formal portrait have become the standard image of Descartes?
• What can and can't a painted portrait tell us about a person's ideas or character?