Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting. It dates from 1490 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work’s main subject is a man, reflecting the genre’s purpose of recording appearance and suggesting status among contemporary viewers.
The Portrait of a Man, painted in 1480 on oil on panel, shows an unidentified male sitter and functions as a conventional early portrait. The work’s main subject is a man, reflecting the genre’s purpose of recording appearance and suggesting status among contemporary viewers. Executed in oil, the piece measures 42.5 × 27.6 cm and belongs to the Cleveland Museum of Art collection, having been acquired by Frederick Mont.
Its iconography is limited to the straightforward representation of a male figure, typical of portraiture in the late 15th century.
Technique & Style
Executed circa 1480, this portrait is an oil painting rendered on a wooden panel support. The work measures 42.5 centimeters in height and 27.6 centimeters in width. Classified within the portrait genre, the composition focuses on a single male subject.
The application of oil paint on panel reflects standard artistic practices for portraiture during the late fifteenth century. While the specific handling of the brushwork or the current physical condition of the surface is not detailed in the available records, the fundamental material construction remains identified as oil on panel. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, having previously been owned by Frederick Mont.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting on panel dated to 1480. The work measures 42.5 cm by 27.6 cm and depicts a male sitter. It was created by an unidentified artist and belongs to the portrait genre.
The painting entered the collection of Frederick Mont, who is recorded as its owner before the work was acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on display. No documentation of a specific commission survives, and the attribution remains anonymous.
Portrait of a Man, dated 1480, is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under the inventory number 1963.503. The work was previously owned by Frederick Mont before entering the museum's collection. Executed in oil on panel, the painting depicts a man and is classified as a portrait within the museum's holdings.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Portrait of a Man, offers a formal depiction of an unidentified male subject. The sitter is presented against a somber background, his dark attire contrasted by a white shirt and gold adornments. The artist employed specific painting techniques to emphasize the figure's presence and the textures of his clothing, creating a sense of depth and focus on his features. The overall impression conveyed is one of dignity and seriousness.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Man
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Erik I, 1470-1549, hertig av Braunscweig-Calenberg
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Jaime II El Justo rey de Aragón
