Portrait of a Man 1497 - 1517

Fra Bartolomeo’s “Portrait of a Man” is a prime example of High Renaissance portraiture. Completed between 1497 and 1517, this oil painting captures the likeness of an unknown Florentine man in a moment of introspective contemplation. The sitter’s serious expression and elegant attire, including a crimson cap and a pink scarf, are rendered with meticulous detail and naturalism. The landscape background, with its rolling hills and distant trees, provides a serene backdrop for the figure, further emphasizing his contemplative mood. This small-scale work, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies Bartolomeo’s mastery of both anatomical accuracy and emotional nuance.