A Polish museum has invited Hollywood actor Robert de Niro to view a portrait of a 17th-century nobleman that many have said looks exactly like him.
The National Museum in Wroclaw made the offer after news emerged that De Niro had been in Poland during a trip that included stops in Warsaw and Krakow, with the museum inviting him to Wroclaw, over 200 miles from the capital, on 12th November.
The portrait, entitled “Portrait of Johann Vogt”, was completed in 1628 by Bartholomaus Strobel the Younger.
The work depicts a man believed to be Johann Vogt, a Wroclaw official and landowner, and shows what observers have described as an uncanny likeness to the Oscar-winning actor, right down to the moles on their cheeks.
The museum said the canvas, set in a richly carved gilded frame, had drawn growing attention on social media for the resemblance.
It said on its website: “The canvas shows a mature man with a mustache and a distinctive pointed beard, portrayed in bust against a dark background, gazing intently at the viewer.
“Interestingly, the face of the sitter resembles that of contemporary American film actor Robert De Niro. The similarity is striking.”
Strobel, born in Wroclaw in 1591, trained in Prague under Emperor Rudolf II and later worked in cities including Gdansk, Elblag and Torun.
His best-known pieces, “The Feast of Herod” and the “Beheading of St John the Baptist”, form part of the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid.
The museum repeated the invitation after news emerged that the actor had visited Poland, reportedly writing: “Robert de Niro in Poland! During his stay, will he visit Wroclaw to see the portrait of his ‘ancestor’ displayed in our museum?”
De Niro reportedly arrived in Poland last weekend, visiting Warsaw and Krakow, where his Nobu hospitality group has investments.
A Nobu hotel and restaurant opened in Warsaw in 2020, while a new luxury development is under construction in Krakow.
The museum said De Niro did not visit before leaving the country. It had also attempted to invite him in 2017 by contacting his agent.
The painting can be viewed on the first floor of the National Museum in Wroclaw, according to local media.
