Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Luca Signorelli. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1492, this tempera portrait is attributed to the Italian Renaissance painter Luca Signorelli. It is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin and was highlighted in the 1980 BBC Two documentary series that surveyed notable works of art.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a solitary figure in profile, his expression solemn and his features rendered with meticulous attention to age lines and shading. He wears a vivid red cap and robe trimmed with a dark collar, set against a muted backdrop that emphasizes his presence.
Technique & Style
Executed in egg tempera, the painting displays the medium’s characteristic fine detail and luminous surface. Signorelli employs precise brushwork to model the sitter’s face, while the contrasting red garments are layered to achieve a striking chromatic focus within the overall restrained palette.
History & Provenance
Since its creation in the late 15th century, the portrait has remained in European collections, eventually entering the Berlin Gemäldegalerie. Its inclusion in the 1980 BBC series "100 Great Paintings" brought renewed scholarly attention to the piece.
Context
The portrait reflects the transitional period of the Italian Renaissance when portraiture began to emphasize individual character. The distant cityscape with architectural elements and a fountain provides a spatial depth that situates the sitter within an urban milieu typical of the era’s emerging humanist concerns.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Signorelli (c. 1441/1445 – 16 October 1523) was an Italian Renaissance painter from Cortona, in Tuscany, who was noted in particular for his ability as a draftsman and his use of foreshortening. His massive frescos…
