Ghirlandaio, Domenico (1448-1494)
Ritratto d’uomo (Portrait of a Man)
c.1477–1478
Tempera on wood, 54.6 x 44.5 cm
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The identity of the sitter of this portrait is unknown. It is an early work by Ghirlandaio, and was probably painted at about the same time as a famous fresco cycle in the principal church of San Gimignano. The lively expression of the sitter explains why Ghirlandaio’s portraits were so admired. The bright green background is the result of a cleaning that removed a layer of oxidized pigment. (MET)