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Portrait of a Man by Rosso Fiorentino

Rosso Fiorentino · early 1520s

This striking "Portrait of a Man" by Rosso Fiorentino, painted around 1522, holds a secret beneath its surface. X-ray analysis of this oil on panel work, now at the National Gallery of Art, revealed a hidden image underneath the visible portrait.

While the man's direct gaze and meticulous attire command attention, the seemingly plain green background conceals an earlier composition. Beneath the dark doublet and the lower background, a female saint is painted in profile.

This discovery suggests Rosso Fiorentino, known for his unconventional style, reused a fragment of a previously rejected altarpiece. It's a fascinating glimpse into the artist's process and the hidden layers of art history.

What other secrets might paintings hold?

Details

This man's intense gaze draws you in.
This man's intense gaze draws you in.
Look closely at the plain background.
Look closely at the plain background.
X-rays found something strange beneath the surface.
X-rays found something strange beneath the surface.
There's a female saint, painted in profile, hidden underneath.
There's a female saint, painted in profile, hidden underneath.
The oversized hat casts a shadow on the forehead and signals fashionable status in 1520s Florence; its geometric flatness contrasts with the soft face beneath.
The oversized hat casts a shadow on the forehead and signals fashionable status in 1520s Florence; its geometric flatness contrasts with the soft face beneath.
Transcript

This man's intense gaze draws you in. He was painted by Rosso Fiorentino around 1522. Look closely at the plain background. X-rays found something strange beneath the surface. There's a female saint, painted in profile, hidden underneath. The painter reused a rejected altarpiece fragment for this portrait.