Portrait: Henry Purcell

The Composer in the Year of his Death

This portrait of the British composer Henry Purcell was painted by John Closterman in 1695, the year of the musician’s death. He was just 36 years old. The German-born Closterman (1760-1711) was particularly well-known for his lavish depictions of European nobility, in which his subjects were often presented wearing flowing, drape-like garments. Here th…