Portrait of a Man

The unidentified sitter in this portrait, painted in Venice in the workshop of Domenico Tintoretto, son of the more famous Jacopo, is believed to be a Moorish ambassador to the Venetian court. The sitter is dressed, however, in European costume, although the white sash around his waist is less typical of Venetian dress. The rectangular package on the table next to him, wrapped in white and secured with a wax seal, may indicate his role as a diplomat or an envoy. According to contemporary sources, Domenico's studio was often visited by diplomats commissioning portraits.