Artwork
Bildnis eines Mannes
Bildnis eines Mannes is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Bartolomeo Passarotti. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Bildnis eines Mannes is a 1560 portrait painting by Italian mannerist artist Bartolomeo Passarotti, now part of the Alte Pinakothek collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting focuses on a serious, bearded man with a receding hairline, whose direct gaze engages the viewer. His attire—a dark vest over a white, high-collared shirt—and refined appearance suggest a subject of upper-class or professional status.
Technique & Style
Passarotti employs a dark background to emphasize the sitter's face, characteristic of mannerist portraiture's emphasis on expressive intensity. The composition's simplicity underscores the subject's personality and social standing.
History & Provenance
Created in 1560, the work is attributed to Passarotti's activity in Bologna, though specific details of its commission or early ownership are not provided here.
Context
As a product of the mannerist period, Bildnis eines Mannes reflects the era's aesthetic values, which often included pronounced individualism and psychological depth in portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomeo Passarotti or Passerotti (1529–1592) was an Italian painter of the mannerist period, who worked mainly in his native Bologna. His family name is also spelled Passerotti or Passarotto.
