Artwork
Portrait of a Man in a Cape
Portrait of a Man in a Cape is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Lambert Sustris. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1560, the oil painting *Portrait of a Man in a Cape* is attributed to Lambert Sustris, a Dutch artist who worked in Venice. The work exemplifies the Mannerist style that was prevalent in mid‑sixteenth‑century Italy. It is part of the permanent holdings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a bearded gentleman dressed in a dark cape and a beret, his gaze directed outward with a solemn expression. He holds a dark, undefined object in his right hand, a compositional choice that adds a sense of dignity and introspection to the figure.
Technique & Style
Sustris employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing a focused light source to illuminate the sitter’s face while the surrounding space recedes into deep black. This contrast produces a sculptural effect, emphasizing the three‑dimensionality of the portrait and aligning the work with the Mannerist interest in dramatic lighting and elegant elongation.
History & Provenance
The artist, also known as Alberto de Olanda, trained in Titian’s workshop before absorbing the mannered elegance of Parmigianino. After its creation, the painting entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on display as a representative example of Sustris’s Venetian period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lambert Sustris (c. 1515/1520 – c. 1584) was a Dutch painter active mainly in Venice. The works Sustris completed in Italy exhibit either a Mannerist style or qualities that may be deemed proto-Baroque. He is also…
