BONIFACIO VERONESE
(b. 1487, Verona, d. 1557, Venezia)

Portrait of a Young Man

1510s
Oil on canvas transferred from panel, 48 x 38 cm
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

The soft shape of the face, the rhythm of rounded lines forming a simple balanced composition, the man's thoughtful look seemingly detached from earthly realities - these elements speak of the influence of Giorgione, who ruled the minds of Venetian artists in the first half of the 16th century. This portrait, one of the few painted by Bonifacio Veronese, was formerly attributed to Vincenzo Catena, Giovanni Cariani, Lorenzo Lotto, and others.