Portrait of a Man

The painter’s family name is taken from his hometown, Bassano del Grappa, northwest of Venice. Bassano is best known for his freely painted religious subjects, as seen nearby, but his rare portraits are striking. The sitter’s identity is not known, but the black of the outfit and the shape of his hat certainly refer to an ecclesiastical calling. While Bassano lavished some detail on his bluish-black costume—notice the vertical row of buttons—he clearly focused on the subject’s illuminated head. Impressive passages include the soft beard, eyes lost in thought, and the extraordinary bulging arteries above his right eye. Painted around 1576, this is one of Bassano’s last portraits.