Artwork
Venezianischer Admiral Lazaro Mocenico
Venezianischer Admiral Lazaro Mocenico is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The canvas portrays a solitary figure dressed in a dark, flowing robe with a broad cape draped across his shoulders.
About this work
Overview
The canvas portrays a solitary figure dressed in a dark, flowing robe with a broad cape draped across his shoulders. He holds a tall hat in one hand and a folded document in the other, his expression solemn. The setting is a modest interior illuminated by a soft window light, creating a restrained yet focused composition.
Subject & Meaning
The central character is identified as the Venetian admiral Lazaro Mocenico, presented in formal attire that underscores his rank. The inclusion of a hat and a scroll suggests both his naval authority and the administrative duties associated with his position, while his serious demeanor conveys a sense of duty and gravitas.
Technique & Style
Light falls on the face and hands, accentuating texture and volume, while the surrounding darkness recedes, isolating the admiral within the composition.
The painter employs chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with illuminated planes to model the figure’s features and the folds of his robe. Light falls on the face and hands, accentuating texture and volume, while the surrounding darkness recedes, isolating the admiral within the composition. The handling of fabric and light demonstrates a controlled, dramatic approach typical of Baroque portraiture.
Context
Created for a Venetian audience, the work reflects the city‑state’s tradition of commemorating military leaders through portraiture. By situating the admiral in a simple interior rather than a maritime scene, the artist emphasizes personal authority and civic virtue, aligning with contemporary ideals of leadership in the Republic of Venice.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Emperor Leopold I in coronation armor
Franz II., Herzog von Lothringen
Kurfürst Ferdinand Maria von Bayern
Karl II., König von Spanien (Werkstatt)
Portrait of King Ladislaus IV Vasa.
Portrait of Johan, Count of Nassau-Siegen (1583-1638)
Prinz Johann I.
Portrait of James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick
Bildnis des Alexander Sigismund von Pfalz-Neuburg, Fürstbischof von Augsburg (1663-1737)
George, Earl of Cumberland
Portrait of Ferdinand Carolus Gonzaga Duke of Mantua (1652-1708)
König Philipp IV. von Spanien