Parmigianino (1503-1540)
Uomo che sospende la lettura (Portrait of a man with a book)
1525–1526
Oil on poplar, 67.5 × 53 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
The stranger has paused while reading and now seems to be indulging in his own thoughts. His eyes downcast, his head propped up in a classic thinker’s pose, he shows all the characteristics of introverted brooding. However, his round, fleshy face, full, sensual mouth, and strong skin color, effectively enhanced by virtuoso pessimism, stand in ironic contrast to his habitus of melancholy. (KHM)