Artwork
Bildnis eines jungen Mannes mit Barett und Handschuhen
Bildnis eines jungen Mannes mit Barett und Handschuhen is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bernardino Licinio. It dates from 1522 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1522 by the Italian painter Bernardino Licinio, this oil portrait presents a young gentleman dressed in a dark, gold‑trimmed jacket and matching beret. The figure holds a cloth in his right hand, his white ruffled collar and cuffs contrasting with a muted brown backdrop. The work is part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is portrayed with a composed, dignified expression, emphasizing his social standing through refined attire and accessories such as gloves and a decorative hat. The inclusion of the cloth, a common attribute in portraiture of the period, may allude to the subject’s profession or personal interests, reinforcing the portrait’s function as a status document.
Technique & Style
Licinio employs a clear chiaroscuro, balancing illuminated areas of the face and clothing against a darker background to model form. The precise rendering of textures—gold trim, fabric folds, and the soft sheen of the gloves—demonstrates the High Renaissance attention to detail, while the overall composition reflects the emerging Baroque interest in naturalistic presence.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings in the 19th century, though its earlier ownership remains undocumented. It has been catalogued as a representative example of Licinio’s portraiture, illustrating his activity in both Venice and Lombardy during the early 1500s.
Context
Licinio worked at a time when portraiture served both personal commemoration and the display of wealth. His style bridges the Venetian coloristic tradition with Lombardic attention to surface detail, situating this work within the broader transition from the High Renaissance toward the early Baroque aesthetic in northern Italy.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardino Licinio (c. 1489 in Poscante – 1565) was an Italian High Renaissance painter of Venice and Lombardy. He mainly painted portraits and religious canvases.
Bărbat cu barbă roșcată
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Man Holding a Rose
Bildnis eines bärtigen Mannes mit Barett
Portrait of a Man in a Cape
Portrait of a Man Holding a Book
Portrait of Cosimo I de' Medici
Portrait of a bearded man, aged 34, before an extensive landscape
Portrait of a Young Nobleman