Gentleman (from the Tarocchi series E: Conditions of Man, #5)

1465

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory Ferrara

Dominant colour

Gentleman (from the Tarocchi series E: Conditions of Man, #5) is a 1465 by Master of the E-Series Tarocchi, a Renaissance work, depicting Ferrara, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Master of the E-Series Tarocchi
When & what style?: 1465 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

The painting shows a young man holding a falcon. He's dressed in elegant clothes, turned to the right. This image is interesting because it's part of a series that shows different social classes, from a beggar to a pope, and this gentleman is one of the higher classes. The series is unique because it gives us a glimpse into the social hierarchy of 15th century Italy. The gentleman's clothing and the falcon he's holding suggest a high status. To learn more about similar art, look up the museum: The Cleveland Museum of Art.

The story of this work

Overview

This engraving is part of the Tarocchi group marked with the letter E and named Conditions of Man . This series outlines the social and hierarchical order of ten characters (Beggar, Servant, Artisan, Merchant, Gentleman, Knight, Doge King, Emperor, and Pope), starting from the lower grade and ending with the most important one. Here, Zintilomo (The Gentleman) is shown as a full-length male figure, turned to the right. The elegantly dressed youth is holding up a falcon in his gloved left hand. A servant follows him at his back, and walks two dogs on a leash.

Read the full account in the museum source.