Portrait of a Man

The "Portrait of a Man" by Gossaert would appear to be of the Portuguese humanist and historian Damia de Goes (1501-1573), who lived in Italy. De Goes worked as librarian in the Vatican, traveled in northern Europe and was in touch with Erasmus and Luther. Fascinated by the art of Italian painters, Gossaert treated his model in a new key: he is no longer a humble donor, but an active, strong-willed man, aware of his own worth and boldly asserting his own ideals.