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Girolamo da Carpi (Italian, 1501–1556),
Young Man With a Red Cap
, n.d.
oil on canvas, 20 x 17 ¾ in.; 50.8 x 45.1 cm
Partial gift of the Gilbert C. Swanson Foundation and Museum Purchase Fund, 1989.8
Unusual for its time, this portrait offers no clues — objects,
attributes, symbols — to indicate the reason for its creation or to
identify the sitter. The very existence of the work, however, suggests
that he belonged to the upper levels of society, for only they could
afford a painted likeness. From the portrait’s intimate character, one
may surmise that it was hung in a private space, perhaps a bedroom or
study.
Unlike northern European portraits of the time, which stressed
sharp, linear precision, this canvas exemplifies the Italian emphasis on
atmosphere and bodily animation, achieved through soft modeling and
harmonious warm coloring.
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