Who painted Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man was painted by Francesco Salviati in 1546-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Man?

Portrait of a Man is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Man?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Man are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a Man

Francesco Salviati , 1546

Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Francesco Salviati. It dates from 1546 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

The painting’s material consists of oil paint applied to a canvas support, a technique typical of Italian Renaissance art of the period.

The work titled Portrait of a Man, executed by Francesco Salviati in 1546, is an oil painting on canvas measuring roughly 122.6 cm in height and 93.4 cm in width. It belongs to the portrait genre and portrays a male sitter, reflecting Renaissance portrait conventions. The painting’s material consists of oil paint applied to a canvas support, a technique typical of Italian Renaissance art of the period.

The composition is straightforward, emphasizing the sitter’s presence. The artwork is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, where it remains on public view.

History & Provenance

The work was painted in 1546 by Francesco Salviati, as indicated by the artist’s inscription and the date on the canvas. The portrait entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been held since its acquisition. Salviati’s authorship and the 1546 dating align with the documented period of his Roman activity, during which he executed several portrait commissions for patrician patrons. The painting’s provenance prior to the 20th century remains unrecorded in the cited sources.

The portrait is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Its accession number is 1975.1.102, assigned upon acquisition. The work was exhibited in 2018 as part of the museum’s display of European paintings from the 16th century, titled “The Renaissance Nude.”

Overview

Portrait of a Man, painted by Francesco Salviati in 1546, exemplifies the Italian Mannerist style of the mid-16th century. This oil painting, a significant example of the portrait genre, showcases the artist's refined approach to depicting human subjects. Salviati, known by various names including Francesco de' Rossi, was a prominent figure whose work spanned several major artistic centers across Italy. The piece is now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

Context

Francesco Salviati was a versatile Italian painter active throughout Florence, Bologna, Venice, and Rome during the 16th century. He was adept at both grand-scale history paintings and intimate portraits, such as this one. His work is firmly rooted in Mannerism, an artistic movement that emerged as a reaction to the High Renaissance, emphasizing sophisticated artificiality, elongated forms, and a departure from naturalistic representation in favor of a more intellectual and elegant aesthetic.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Francesco Salviati

Francesco Salviati or Francesco de' Rossi (1510 – 11 November 1563) was an Italian Mannerist painter who lived and worked in Florence, with periods in Bologna and Venice, ending with a long period in Rome, where he died.