Bărbat cu manta roșie; pandant: Bărbat cu manta violetă

From the collection of Brukenthal National Museum

Dominant colour

Bărbat cu manta roșie; pandant: Bărbat cu manta violetă is a work by Maximilian Joseph Handel, a Baroque work, held at Brukenthal National Museum.

Who painted this?: Maximilian Joseph Handel
When & what style?: Baroque
Where can I see it?: Brukenthal National Museum

About this work

This is a close-up portrait of a man with curly hair and a serious expression. He’s wearing a white collar and a red garment with gold trim over a dark background. The lighting makes his face stand out against the shadowy oval frame. The artist used soft shading to show depth in his face, especially around the eyes and cheeks. This was a common way to make portraits look more lifelike in older paintings. If you like this style, look up chiaroscuro to see how it works.