Italy, Venice / after c. 1571
Portrait of Agostino Barbarigo
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Portrait of Agostino Barbarigo as painting (Italy, Venice · after c. 1571).
The arrow symbolically indicates that this portrait was painted after the sitter died in battle.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Paolo Veronese (Italian, 1528–1588).
The museum's collection notes: Barbarigo served as second in command of the Venetian naval forces during the Battle of Lepanto, fighting against the Ottoman Empire on October 7, 1571. During the skirmish, Barbarigo was slain by a Turkish arrow, which he holds in the portrait. Barbarigo’s identity is defined by his military prowess. In the 1500s, Venetian military portraits often portrayed the sitter in armor in a pose typical of a Roman emperor, creating a link to the valor and might of ancient armies.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPortrait of Agostino BarbarigoOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.