Portrait of a Young Man c. 1530s

Agnolo Bronzino painted this portrait of a young man during the High Renaissance, likely using oil paints on a wood panel or canvas. Consider the exquisite clothing of the sitter. Notice the puffy sleeves and meticulously tailored doublet, the fine linen of the ruff, the velvet hat. The production of these garments would have involved a division of labor, from the cultivation of flax for the linen, the raising of sheep for wool, the weaving and dyeing of the cloth, and the skilled work of the tailor and seamstress. The rich colors would have been achieved with expensive dyes, and the overall effect speaks to the sitter's social status and wealth. Also, observe the young man's pose and the objects around him. The book and architectural details suggest his education and refinement. Bronzino was working in a society where appearances mattered, and where the ability to display one's wealth and status was a sign of power and influence. Thinking about the labor and materials involved in its production allows us to appreciate the complex social and economic forces that shaped this artwork.