Portrait of a Man (probably Cesare Borgia)

Italian artist Dosso Dossi painted this portrait around 1518-1520, and for centuries it has been identified as Cesare Borgia, the notorious Italian nobleman and military commander. The attribution remains uncertain, which is why the title includes "probably."

Cesare Borgia (1475-1507) was the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI and became Duke of Valentinois. He served as the model for Machiavelli's treatise The Prince. If this is indeed his portrait, it was painted after his death, perhaps from an earlier likeness or from descriptions. The dignified pose and fine costume suggest a man of wealth and power.

The oil on canvas measures 95 x 77 cm and hangs at the Louvre in Paris. Dosso Dossi worked primarily in Ferrara during the High Renaissance, creating mythological scenes and portraits for the Este court. The French title for this work is "Portrait d'homme, dit autrefois Portrait de Cesare Borgia," acknowledging the traditional identification while noting its uncertainty.