Artwork
Portrait of a Man, possibly Matteo di Sebastiano di Bernardino Gozzadini
Portrait of a Man, possibly Matteo di Sebastiano di Bernardino Gozzadini is a tempera painting. It dates from 1498 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This tempera painting depicts a male figure in profile, possibly identified as Matteo di Sebastiano di Bernardino Gozzadini.
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium yields a matte, luminous surface that allows delicate hatching in the modeling of the face and crisp linear definition in the profile.
The painting is executed in tempera on a wood panel support, consistent with Florentine practice of the late fifteenth century. The medium yields a matte, luminous surface that allows delicate hatching in the modeling of the face and crisp linear definition in the profile. The sitter is rendered in three-quarter view with restrained chiaroscuro, emphasizing planar structure over volumetric illusion.
The handling of the costume, linear folds and flat patterning, aligns with the linear Gothic inheritance still visible in late Quattrocento Florentine portraiture.
History & Provenance
Created in 1498, the tempera-on-panel portrait is attributed to the Maestro delle Storie del Pane. The work depicts a man, identified as possibly Matteo di Sebastiano di Bernardino Gozzadini, and was previously owned by Robert Lehman before entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting measures 49.2 cm in height and 35.6 cm in width.
Overview
This tempera painting depicts a male figure in profile, possibly identified as Matteo di Sebastiano di Bernardino Gozzadini. The subject is rendered with precise detail against an expansive landscape that includes a distant urban scene and a lone rider. Currently housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the work exemplifies portraiture from its period, focusing on individual likeness within a broader setting.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is presented in a right-facing profile, adorned in a distinctive red hat and a dark garment, complemented by a red cape draped over one shoulder. Behind him, a detailed landscape unfolds, featuring a distant city skyline under a wide sky, with a small figure on horseback traversing the middle ground. This composition places the individual within a narrative environment.
Artist & collection
