1562

Portrait of a Nobleman with Dueling Gauntlet

In sixteenth-century Europe it became fashionable among noblemen to be portrayed standing in armor and posing with martial objects such as maces, commander's batons, or helmets—a reference to their supposed or demonstrated aptitude as warriors and military leaders. The unidentified man in this portrait wears civilian clothes along with a mail shirt; one hand rests on a gauntlet specifically designed for grabbing the blades of swords in duels. The costly hilts of his rapier (sword) and matching dagger, which the artist has depicted here with great care, compete with his face for the viewer's attention.