This painting depicts Galeazzo Maria, fifth duke of Milan, son of Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti. The modes of representation are those typical of imperial portraiture: the face portrayed in profile refers to numismatic tradition and ennobles the character with its reference to classical emperors. The panel is most likely by Zanetto Bugatto, a court painter who was repeatedly commissioned to portray the duke and his family, appreciated for his great attention to values of light and the naturalness of his details.