Portrait of a Man

Tanzio da Varallo

Cleveland Museum of Art

The painting depicts a man in a three-quarter view, standing against a dark background that transitions from black on the left to brown on the right. He has fair skin, brown eyes, and short, curly brown hair parted in the middle. His facial features include a mustache and a slight smile. He wears a dark-colored outfit with a lace-trimmed collar and cuffs. A red sash crosses over his chest from his right shoulder to his left hip. Around his waist, he has a wide gold belt. In his right hand, he holds a long wooden staff or pole with a gold finial at the top. His left hand rests near his waist. At his side, there is a red fabric draped over what appears to be the hilt of a sword with a gold-colored handle; part of the sword is covered by the fabric. The man's attire suggests a 16th or 17th-century European style.