Portrait d'homme brun

This portrait of a dark-haired man, dating to around 1538, is typical of Corneille de Lyon's prolific output of small-scale portraits during the mid-sixteenth century. The artist's workshop in Lyon was one of the most productive portrait ateliers in France, creating likenesses for the court, the church, and the wealthy merchant class of this important commercial city. Characteristic of Lyon's approach, the work displays small-scale portraits on wood or parchment, blue-green or red grounds, intimate psychological likeness.

The portrait demonstrates Corneille's remarkable ability to create a vivid likeness within a very small format. Precise, controlled brushwork and subtle color modulations bring the sitter to life against the characteristically plain background.