Portrait of a Gentleman, XVI century

PORTRAIT OF AN UNKNOWN GENTLEMAN IN A LACE RUFF, SOUTHERN ITALY, 16TH CENTURY
The prominence of the stiffened lace collar or ‘ruff’ combined with the silky black doublet, richly braided elongated cuffs, gold buttons and belt, places this gentleman firmly within the higher echelons of society. Cloth such as this, particularly black, was expensive to produce and maintain at this time. The extravagant collar, known also as a standing band (which was also detachable for hygiene), was typically made of starched linen or lace, its complexity enhanced further on supporting wires. It was an elaborate symbol of power and wealth, becoming more exaggerated as the late 16th and early 17th Century drew on with various regional and court variations.
This gentleman radiates from a strong sober darkness, through the luminosity of his skin tones and intricate lacework of his relatively modest collar, in contrast to his formal expression. These details suggest a leaning towards an artist working in the shadows of the Spanish Habsburg Court, possibly under the influence of the Spanish Renaissance artist, Alonso Sánchez Coello (1532-1588), court painter to Philip II. At this time, Spanish court portraiture was designed to record the subject without humour and placed greater attention upon the sumptuous textures and details of the sitter’s attire. Fashion was a significant and controversial export even at this time; Philip II of Spain was an influential proponent of a black and gold palette together with the stiffened collar. Later and interestingly, Philip IV is known to have banned the ‘ruff’ in 1621. The Spanish Habsburg Court had an enormous reach in 16th Century Europe, stretching to Flanders, the domains below the Dutch Republic and towards Naples and Sicily in the south.
The reverse cassetta frame in which this portrait is enclosed is most apposite. Its gold and black banded raised sight edge and flatten arabesque decorated flat frieze almost emulating embroidery. This type of frame was ubiquitous in Italy throughout the 16th and 17th Century, with regional differences between areas such as Tuscany and Naples. For a closely related example see the Metropolitan Museum (Inv. 1975.1.2526).
Height: 87cm
Width: 67cm
Depth: 8cm

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Portrait of a Gentleman, XVI century

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