Fine oil on panel portrait of a nobleman dating to c.1565 attributed to Lambert Sustris.The handsome red haired sitter is depicted half-length against rock work and foliage. He wears the saturated black clothing associated with gentlemen of high status in the 16th century Veneto. In the previous century men had appeared in crimson and scarlet, and although brightly coloured clothing continued to be occasionally worn under black over-gowns, by the late 16th century black dominated fashion. Black was the most expensive dye and therefore was a very fashionable colour - as an indicator of wealth, taste and understated elegance by European elites. This young man wears a coat from which his hands appear gesturing, as if to emphasize his action and authority.He accessorizes his black robes with a modest lace trimmed white linen ruff. Such linen had a variety of qualities - up to 40 different degrees of fineness. To complete his powerful pose, he appears to hold a document or p...