Detail of a Portrait of a Man by Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 2010

Portrait of a Man

Domenico Ghirlandaio (Domenico Bigordi) Italian

Object Details

Title: Portrait of a Man

Artist: Domenico Ghirlandaio (Domenico Bigordi) (Italian, Florence 1448/49–1494 Florence)

Medium: Tempera on wood

Dimensions: 21 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (54.6 x 44.5 cm)

Classification: Paintings

Credit Line: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931

Accession Number: 32.100.67


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.
right green of the background is the result of a cleaning that removed a layer of oxidized pigment.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/1100...