plate no. 0856

Portrait of a Man Holding a Letter

Francesco de' Rossi (Francesco Salviati), "Cecchino", 1540

oil, panelMannerism (Late Renaissance)portraitportraitmanletterclothingtablehands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and form using subtle value changes. It also provides practice in painting fabric textures and details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin layer of dark gray/brown paint.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, black clothing, red sleeves, and green table.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, layering highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Work on the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, including the collar, sleeves, and any folds or wrinkles.
step 07
Paint the hands, focusing on the shapes of the fingers and the subtle variations in skin tone.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and realism.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending white, burnt sienna, and a touch of yellow ochre. Achieve the dark blacks by mixing ivory black with raw umber. The red sleeves are a mix of cadmium red with touches of burnt sienna and ivory black for shading.

techniques