Portrait of a Man
1450
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1450
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Portrait of a Man is a 1450 unspecified by Unknown, a Northern Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a man in a red hat and dark robe, his hands folded, staring straight at you. His face is pale, almost ghostly, with sharp shadows under his cheekbones. This portrait was probably made to hang in a church or a wealthy home in southern France. Experts still argue over who painted it—some say a Flemish artist, others an Italian. The mix of styles shows how artists traveled and shared ideas in the 1400s. Look up *France, Provence, 15th century* to see more paintings from this time and place.
Prominent art historians still debate the identity of the artist and the original function of this painting. First attributed to the Neapolitan artist Colantonio (active 1440-1460) and also to the Flemish painter Berthélemy d'Eyck--known as the Master of the Aix Annunciation (active 1440-1470)--the painting is now more likely considered a product of the Provençal school. Undoubtedly it exemplifies the stylistic influences of the Netherlands, Provence, and Italy in the 1400s. The subject may be either a physician or an Old Testament prophet from an altarpiece.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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