The artwork titled “Portrait of a Young Man” was created by the eminent artist Albrecht Dürer in 1506. This piece is an oil painting on panel and stands as a quintessential example of the Northern Renaissance art movement. Notably, the genre of this work is portraiture, and currently, it is housed at the Palazzo Rosso in Genoa, Italy.
The artwork features a young man gazing directly at the viewer, his expression sober and contemplative. He is adorned in a black garment, which contrasts sharply with his pale skin, lending the subject a distinguished air. A large, soft hat sits atop his curls, framing his face and drawing attention to his eyes. The intricacy of detail in the young man’s features is characteristic of Dürer’s skilled hand, capturing a lifelike and introspective human presence.
In the background, a plain and muted tone serves to push the figure forward, allowing the viewer’s focus to remain fixated on the subject. The inscription in the upper left-hand corner serves as a testament to the artist’s signature and the date of creation, affirming the piece’s historical significance. The precision in the rendering of textures, from the softness of the hat to the delicate interplay of light and shadow on the subject’s face, epitomizes the technical mastery associated with the Northern Renaissance period—where artists sought to achieve a high degree of realism in their depiction of subjects.
