The Black Knight
Giovanni Battista Moroni, 1567
This portrait by Giovanni Battista Moroni, dated to around 1567, shows a man whose identity is unknown, as is the case with many of the painter's portraits from these years. His fine clothing suggests he belonged to the nobility. He stands at life size, dressed in black in the fashion of the period, and a curled white collar adds a subtle note of refinement. One hand grips the hilt of the sword at his waist, while the other rests on his chest. The composition is built almost entirely on a single colour: the folds of the garment are handled with great skill, and the black hat with its light, almost transparent feather stands out against the grey background. That background, with pilasters and a hint of the figure's shadow, suggests an domestic interior. The man looks straight at the viewer with a confident bearing. The work is notable for its mastery of black and the restraint of its portraiture, traits characteristic of the painter from Bergamo.
- Painter
- Giovanni Battista Moroni
- Date
- 1567
- Medium
- oil paint, canvas
- Dimensions
- 190 × 102 cm
- Museum
- Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan
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