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Notes

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The identity of the man in this bust-length portrait is unknown but it appears to be a true likeness with little attempt at flattery. The top of the man’s head is visible through his thinning hair, and the texture of his skin and beard have been meticulously painted. Although he frowns, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes make him appear kindly and careworn. Leandro Bassano often employed this simple bust-length format and frowning expression in his portraits.

The paint surface is very damaged, especially on the face and collar. A partially legible Latin inscription at bottom left suggests that the sitter may have been a successful poet or musician and that he wrote or performed for princes. The style of his dress, particularly the large, loose collar, indicates that the portrait was painted in the last years of the sixteenth century, when Leandro Bassano was most in demand as a portraitist in Venice.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Portrait of a Bearded Man

Date

about 1600

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 66.3 x W 55 cm

Accession number

NG2149

Acquisition method

Bought, 1855

Work type

Painting

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.

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Artist or maker

Leandro Bassano

1557–1622

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