Portrait of a Young Man

Jan van Eyck completed this small but notable portrait on October 10, 1432, as noted in his Latin signature carved into the painted stone parapet. Also known as "Léal Souvenir" (Loyal Remembrance) or "Timotheus," the oil on oak panel measures just 33.4 by 19 centimeters yet contains layers of mystery that scholars continue to debate.

The tall, narrow format is unusual for Van Eyck. The young man wears a fashionable green chaperon and holds a scroll inscribed on its outer surface, possibly indicating a legal profession. Above Van Eyck's signature, large capitals spell "LEAL SOVVENIR" in French, while Greek letters at the top spell "TUM OTHEOS" in Latin, meaning "then God." The cracked, weathered stone parapet may allude to human mortality.

Recent restoration at the National Gallery in London removed centuries of yellowed varnish, revealing Van Eyck's original brilliance. The sitter's blue eyes now gleam again, and his hand holding the document projects forward with renewed three-dimensionality.