A Polish museum has invited American movie star Robert De Niro to visit the Polish city of Wrocław and see a 17th-century portrait that, many have noted, bears a striking resemblance to the Hollywood star, right down to the moles on his cheeks.
The painting, entitled “Portrait of Johann Vogt” hangs at the National Museum in Wrocław, Poland’s third-largest city, and depicts Johann Vogt, a landowner and member of the city council of Wrocław, who was aged in his 50s at the time.
The painting was completed by Bartholomäus Strobel the Younger, one of Silesia’s most distinguished Baroque painters.
We can see a striking similarities to the Oscar-winning actor — the familiar look, the gaze, and even a small mole on one of his cheeks.
While Vogt is himself a largely forgotten figure, the painting, which has been attributed to local artist Bartholomäus Strobel, has gained fame for the subject’s remarkable likeness to De Niro.
The museum’s director, Piotr Oszczanowski, noted that Vogt and De Niro have “a few distinctive features in common” – and even “the same twinkle in their eyes”.
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“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,” the National Museum said on its website.
“Interestingly, the face of the sitter resembles that of contemporary American film actor Robert De Niro. The similarity is striking,” the museum added.
Last weekend, the actor visited Warsaw and Kraków, two cities where his Nobu hospitality group has investments. A Nobu hotel and restaurant opened in the capital in 2020. In Kraków, the firm is in the process of building a new luxury development.
“Robert de Niro in Poland!” wrote the National Museum in Wrocław. “During his stay, will he visit Wroclaw to see the portrait of his ‘ancestor’ displayed in our museum?”
De Niro, who has now left Poland, did not take up the offer. The museum also attempted unsuccessfully to invite the star to visit in 2017, after getting in touch with his agent.
