Portrait of a Man

This portrait shows a combination of stylistic features relating to both Venetian and German traditions. Accordingly, it was first attributed to northern Italian painters, more specifically to Bartolomeo Veneto, then German artists, specifically to Bernhard Strigel. More recently, the attribution to Jacopo de’ Barbari has gained general acceptance.

The Venetian Jacopo de’ Barbari worked at various princely courts north of the Alps between 1500 and his death. It is known that while he was still in Venice he was already interested in northern European culture. The present painting may date a time when he was working on his famous woodcut view of Venice.

The sitter of the portrait has not been identified. The man with the blond hair and northern attire could be a well-to-do German, probably a merchant, one of the German residents in Venice. The beret and the heavy , fur-lined overcoat are similar to those in D�rer’s portrait of Hans Tucher.

The reverse side of the panel is painted by the same artist, it represents an allegory.