Who painted Portrait of a Prelate?

Portrait of a Prelate was painted by Lavinia Fontana in 1580-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Prelate?

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

What movement is Portrait of a Prelate?

Portrait of a Prelate is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Prelate?

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

Artwork

Portrait of a Prelate

Lavinia Fontana , 1590

Portrait of a Prelate is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Lavinia Fontana. It dates from 1590 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Portrait of a Prelate is executed in oil paint on a copper support, a combination that allowed Lavinia Fontana to achieve a smooth, enamel-like surface with fine detail and luminous color. The copper ground, polished to a high finish, lends the work its characteristic jewel-like depth and reflective quality, well suited to the precise handling of features, textiles, and insignia typical of late sixteenth-century portraiture. Fontana's brushwork is controlled and miniaturist in scale, taking advantage of the rigid panel to render crisp contours and subtle tonal transitions in flesh and drapery.

The small-scale format and meticulous finish are consistent with refined portrait practices of the period, in which copper supports were favored for their portability and capacity to hold sharp detail. The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

Attributed to the Italian artist Lavinia Fontana, the Portrait of a Prelate was executed in 1590 using oil paint applied to a copper support, a medium choice characteristic of the period's portraiture. The work depicts a male figure and is classified as a portrait. While specific details regarding the original commission or the identity of the sitter remain unrecorded in the available documentation, the painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is currently housed.

The provided records do not specify a particular inventory or accession number, nor do they list any specific exhibitions in which the piece has been displayed.

Overview

Lavinia Fontana, an Italian Mannerist painter, completed Portrait of a Prelate in 1590. This oil painting on copper depicts a formally dressed man, reflecting the artistic conventions of its period. Fontana, trained by her father Prospero Fontana, established a significant career, becoming recognized as the first professional female artist in Western Europe. The work is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The painting features a man presented in a formal, waist-length pose, characteristic of late 16th-century portraiture. He wears dark clerical attire, including a white collar and a black hat, and holds an open book. The plain, dark background serves to direct the viewer's full attention to the sitter, emphasizing his presence and scholarly or religious identity.

Context

Lavinia Fontana's career marked a notable achievement in art history. Trained by her father, Prospero Fontana, she became a prominent painter in Bologna and later Rome. Her success in securing commissions for portraits, as well as religious and mythological subjects, established her as the first woman in Western Europe to maintain a professional artistic practice, challenging conventional gender roles of the era.