A Man in a Black Cap

John Bettes the Elder · 1545

0:001 of 1

John Bettes the Elder

Kingdom of England

John Bettes the Elder (active c. 1531, 1570) was an English artist whose few known paintings date from between about 1543 and 1550. His most famous work is his Portrait of a Man in a Black Cap. His son, John Bettes the Younger (with whom he is sometimes confused), was a pupil of Nicholas Hilliard who painted portraits during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. Nothing is known of John Bettes's life, except that he was living in Westminster in 1556, according to a documented court case.

Independent artist guide by Momentable. Biography from Wikipedia; artworks credited to the museums that hold them.

Stream John Bettes the Elder

A Man in a Black Cap — The living window: art moves here the way it moves in your living room.

rights: Public domainrights

The work

A selection of 1 works, free to stream.

How John Bettes the Elder worked

From the record of their own practice.

Man in a Black Caps technique is reminiscent of Hans Holbein the Younger's, suggesting that Bettes may have worked with Holbein as part of his workshop. Nothing, however, is known of Holbein's workshop other than paintings seemingly associated with it. Holbein does not appear to have founded a school, and Bettes is the only artist whose work reveals his technical influence. For example, he paints over a pink priming, as did Holbein. According to art historian Roy Strong, "He is the artist who, on grounds of style, has the best claim to have worked under Holbein".