Portret van een man c. 1910 - 1935

Melozzo da Forlì painted this panel portrait of an unknown man in Italy, sometime in the second half of the 15th century. Its display here in the museum reflects shifting views on whose likeness is considered worthy of display and remembrance. The subject's clothing is our main clue to his social standing. The black hat and robe-like garment indicate that he was likely a doctor or lawyer, at a time when these professions were increasingly open to men of talent but not noble birth. Such individuals gained influence through universities and the courts, institutions that fostered social mobility. The man's gaze is direct and his features individualized, suggesting the rising value placed on the individual during the Renaissance. Art historians use costume books, archival records, and social histories to better understand portraits like this. By researching the man's clothing and comparing this portrait to others from the same time, we can learn much about the changing social landscape of Renaissance Italy and consider the significance of who gets remembered in art.