Haarlem Citizen

The only thing known about this man is inscribed in Latin on the trompe-l’oeil cartellino on the original frame: ‘In the year of our Lord 1529 / true age 46.’ The word ‘true’ implicitly emphasizes the memory of his appearance at that specific moment. The little piece of paper seems about to come loose at any moment and thus refers to the transience of earthly existence.