The Sultan Mehmet II

The painting is almost entirely repainted, especially in the figure. An old inscription, lower right, gives the date 25 November 1480. The lower left inscription is a more recent reconstruction; it includes the names Mehmet and Gentile Bellini.

The attribution to Bellini is not proved, but the sitter is reasonably identified as Mehmet II (1432 - 1481). Gentile Bellini visited his court in Constantinople. There is insufficient evidence for deciding whether the picture is a copy or a very damaged original.