Man with a Carnation

The works reflects renaissance endeavours to find a realistic image with inner tension. The portrait stands out with its pleasant colouring and precise psychological characterisation. The young is dressed in the simple apparel of an early 16th century German townsman or burgher. His pose is calm and collected and his nature is reflected in the watchful gaze of his grey eyes and pale, tightly pursed lips. The chestnut hair falls on the neck emphasising the rosiness of the skin and contrasting with the painting’s bluish background. The face, neck and shirt stand out as a light area against the dark, almost black V of the robe. The palette of colours is supplemented by the violet brown tone of the robe and the moss green of the sleeve (it looks almost black now) but the pink carnation tells us that this is an engagement portrait. The work has features typical of the northern renaissance – a subtle, almost miniature painting style where every little hair, furrow and petal has been meticulously drawn. The painting techniques, colouring (dark violet, black and white tones on a dark blue background) and composition speak of ties with the art of the Netherlands but the old stamp on the back indicates the painting comes from Frankfurt.