Portrait of a Manc. 1510s · Study 1940.539

Context from the museum

This young man is possibly a member of the Sforza household, the ruling family of Milan during the Renaissance. He wears a plaquette on his hat indicating his nobility and status. This medallion depicts an actual work by Andrea Riccio (1470–1532), an artist whose work is represented in the museum's collection. The medallion illustrates an allegory of fortune and virtue personified by a winged woman and a child.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Portrait of a Man is 29.2 cm wide and 39.4 cm high, equivalent to approximately 11.5 × 15.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.74:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.12 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 9.7% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 135.4 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Portrait of a Man in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on wood, transferred to wood, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 29.2 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?