Portrait of a Man

The "Portrait of a Man" by Gossaert would appear to be of the Portuguese humanist and historian Damia de Goes (1501-1573), who lived in Italy . De Goes worked as librarian in the Vatican , traveled in northern Europe and was in touch with Erasmus and Luther. Fascinated by the art of Italian painters, Gossaert treated his model in a new key: he is no longer a humble donor, but an active, strong-willed man, aware of his own worth and boldly asserting his own ideals.