Portrait of a Young Man
Trained in Naples in the Netherlandish technique of oil painting, Antonello set the standard for portraiture when he went from Sicily to Venice in 1475. The incipient smile in this portrait provides an indication of the inner life of the sitter, who engages the viewer with his direct gaze. Through these subtle effects, Antonello endowed his portraits with suggestions of personality, in addition to capturing surface appearances.
Artwork Details
- Title: Portrait of a Young Man
- Artist: Antonello da Messina (Antonello di Giovanni d'Antonio) (Italian, Messina ca. 1430–1479 Messina)
- Date: ca. 1470
- Medium: Oil on wood
- Dimensions: 10 5/8 x 8 1/8 in. (27 x 20.6 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
- Object Number: 14.40.645
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings
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