Artwork
Portrait of an unknown man
Portrait of an unknown man is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Master of the Female Half-Lengths. It dates from 1534 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Created in 1534, this oil painting presents a half‑length portrait of an unidentified male sitter.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1534, this oil painting presents a half‑length portrait of an unidentified male sitter. The work is attributed to the anonymous artist known as the Master of the Female Half‑Lengths and is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is shown from the chest upward, wearing a dark hat and a high‑collared jacket. He holds a rolled document in his right hand, his gaze directed downward, suggesting a moment of private reading or contemplation.
Technique & Style
The painter employs chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with illuminated areas to model the face and hands, giving the portrait a three‑dimensional presence. The muted, mottled background recedes, focusing attention on the sitter’s features and the folded paper.
History & Provenance
Since its creation in the early sixteenth century, the painting has remained in German collections, eventually entering the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings, where it is displayed among other works of the Northern Renaissance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the Female Half-Lengths
The Master of the Female Half-Lengths is a notname coined by the German art historian Max J.
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