Man with a Mole on his Nose in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, May 2008

Man with a Mole on his Nose
Ca. 130-150 AD
Encaustic on limewood

Accession # 09.181.2

Although the panel shape and palette of these two paintings are very similar, differences in the hair and beards suggest that the portrait of the man with the mole is about a generation earlier than the portrait on the right.

The man with the mole is turned from a three-quarters right position to direct his arresting gaze toward the viewer. His enormous eyes have highlights and are further emphasized by pink paint on the lids. Pink was also the color used to shade the long nose. His flesh is a warm peach color.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.