Art UK has updated its cookies policy. By using this website you are agreeing to the use of cookies. To find out more read our updated Use of Cookies policy and our updated Privacy policy.

Marco Barbarigo

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

How you can use this image

This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).

Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.

The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Buy a print or image licence

You can purchase this reproduction

If you have any products in your basket we recommend that you complete your purchase from Art UK before you leave our site to avoid losing your purchases.

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

This serious-looking young man is Marco Barbarigo, known as ‘Marco the Rich’, Venetian consul in London in 1449 and Doge of Venice – the elected head of state – in 1485. This portrait was apparently painted while he was in London: he holds a letter addressed to ‘the eminent and distinguished lord Marco Barbarigo’. The address, ‘Londonis’, is partly hidden by his fingers.

The painting’s quality suggests that it was done by a follower rather than Jan van Eyck, but one who was clearly very familiar with the artist’s principles: the bold colours, strong lighting and the slightly distorted proportions are typical of van Eyck. Perhaps Barbarigo, about to return to Italy, commissioned a portrait from an artist working in the latest Netherlandish style to take home as a souvenir; the painting was in Venice in the eighteenth century.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Marco Barbarigo

Date

about 1449-50

Medium

Oil on oak

Measurements

H 24.2 x W 16 cm

Accession number

NG696

Acquisition method

Bought, 1862

Work type

Painting

Tags

This artwork does not have any tags yet. You can help by tagging artworks on Tagger.

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue