Allegory of the Phlegmatic Temperament

The foreground is dominated by the massive figure of a turbaned Turk who has fallen asleep on the steps of a classical marble fountain. The darkened trees in the distance and the deep shadows on all sides suggest that the scene takes place under the light of a brightly shining moon. Dimly glimpsed on the ledge next to the Turk’s shoulder is a tortoise, whose presence provides the key to the painting’s subject.