Portrait of a Man 1533

Barthel Bruyn the Elder painted this “Portrait of a Man” in 1535. Painted during the Renaissance, portraits like this one were typically commissioned by the upper classes. But who was this man? His garments indicate that he belonged to the upper echelons of society, the ring is of note. And what of his identity? Bruyn the Elder was one of the artists who dominated painting in Cologne during the first half of the sixteenth century. In portraiture, sitters often used the ways in which they chose to be represented to reinforce existing power structures or to communicate aspirations. This man’s gaze projects confidence, indicative of his position and status. In this painting, Bruyn offers us not just a glimpse into the life of an individual but also a portal into understanding the socio-economic values of the time. He prompts us to consider how identity and status were performed and perceived in sixteenth-century Cologne.