Portrait of a Young Man

With a pensive gaze, a dark-haired young man looks to the right into the distance. His long hair falls on the sumptuous, white lace collar that stands out against his black garment. Maratti presents the portrayed modestly and unpretentiously, yet also elegantly and dignified. An inscription on the back tells us the year and place of creation, as well as the age of the portrayed. In 1663, when he was painted in Rome, he was 24 years and three-months-old. Maratti was one of the most sought after artists in Rome and worked for the social elite, including Pope Clemens IX, whose portrait is considered one of the most important paintings of the 17th century.| Britta Bode