Timotheos, or Portrait of a Young Man, is a one-of-a-kind painting by the Flemish artist Jan van Eyck. It is notable for its green head-dress and red coat, worn by an unidentified subject with highly individual features. The piece is a three-quarters view painted on an oil-on-oak panel in 1432.
The portrait also features a homogeneous dark background and French inscription on the plinth behind the sitter that reads “Loyal Remembrance”. Notably, compared to other portraits by Jan van Eyck, this is the only piece with such an inscription. Moreover, it is regarded as one of his most important works due to its naturalistic approach to painting and extensive use of disguised religious symbols. Van Eyck was credited with perfecting this technique during the Northern Renaissance period.
This masterpiece can be found at the National Gallery in London and has been celebrated for its uniqueness ever since it was created hundreds of years ago. Timotheos stood out among other portrait paintings during that era because of how distinctively different it looks from artworks before it. Today, it remains a significant representation of Jan van Eyck’s work and serves as an inspiration for many modern artists around the world who continue to push creative boundaries in their craft.
