Portrait of a Young Man Wearing Lynx Fur

This is one of the relatively few portrait painted by Veronese. The model of the painting is not identified.

In its warm-colour tones, this portrait recalls the works of the Lombard painter Moretto da Brescia, while its structure is reminiscent of late 1540s portraits by Tintoretto, which Veronese certainly must have seen even before his first visit to Venice in 1551. The luxurious lynx fur visibly documents the prosperity of the young gentiluomo. The architectural ruins in the background, possibly inspired by engravings published by the Antwerp engraver and graphics publisher Hieronymus Cock (1518-1570), have an emblematic, symbolic character. They remind us of the past greatness of Rome and at the same time draw attention to the breadth of the subject's education.