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Italian, Florentine, 'A Bearded Man', about 1527-8

About the work

We do not know this man’s identity. He wears a black pleated silk doublet with pleated sleeves, and a soft black cap, possibly made of felted wool, with black knotted braids at the edges. His white chemise with ruffled collar and cuffs is tied at the neck with a black ribbon. The costume suggests a date of about 1527–8.

The man holds a folded paper in his right hand. It was not uncommon in portraits of this period to include the sitter’s name on a folded paper, as though they were holding a letter they had just received (for an example in the National Gallery, see Moroni’s Portrait of Canon Ludovico Terzi). However, this paper contains no writing to identify the sitter.

The portrait was formerly believed to be by the Florentine artist Pontormo, or the Venetian painter Lotto. It is damaged by extensive cracking over most parts of the canvas.

Key facts

Full title
A Bearded Man
Artist
Italian, Florentine
Date made
about 1527-8
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
63.2 × 50.1 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1883
Inventory number
NG1150
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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