Portrait of a Man with a Glove

This Portrait of a Man with a Glove, dating to around 1550, shows the sitter holding one of the most common accessories in Renaissance portraiture—the glove symbolized gentility and leisure. Corneille de Lyon's inclusion of this accessory signals the sitter's social aspirations within the portrait's intimate format. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays small-scale portraits on wood panel with distinctive colored grounds (often blue-green or red), intimate likeness combined with simplified background, precise, unidealized characterization.

The glove adds a secondary focal point to the composition, complementing the carefully rendered face. Corneille's restrained palette and precise technique give the small portrait a remarkable sense of presence and psychological depth.