A Gentleman, Smiling

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Jan van Ravesteyn, Portrait of a Gentleman, Smiling

Philanthropist, collector and man of means Thomas Pleasants also made a significant bequest to the RDS in 1818. Portrait of a Gentleman, Smiling by Flemish painter Jan van Ravesteyn is one of our many artworks from Pleasants’ collection. The gentleman’s ‘Mona Lisa-mood’ is contrary to the 16^th-century portraiture norm, however – grumpy grandees never smiled for their portrait!