Portrait of a Gentleman c. 1505

Ridolfo Ghirlandaio painted this "Portrait of a Gentleman," now at the Art Institute of Chicago, in oil. The composition divides into distinct zones: the sitter, monumental in his black attire, a landscape view to the side, and a ledge at the bottom of the frame. Ghirlandaio uses chiaroscuro to give the portrait a weighty presence. Notice the gentleman’s gaze, direct and unyielding, set against the dark, enveloping cloak. This sharp focus contrasts with the softened landscape, creating a visual tension between the personal and the pastoral. The painting subtly plays with perspective: the figure’s imposing size dominates, while the landscape offers a receding, almost dreamlike space. The gentleman’s firm grip on the object in his hand draws attention to texture and form. Ghirlandaio’s attention to these details engages with the Renaissance interest in materiality. The portrait encapsulates a study in contrasts—between light and shadow, near and far, presence and absence—inviting ongoing interpretation.