Vittore Carpaccio?
Man with a Red Cap

What might he be thinking as he subjects us to scrutiny, this gentleman with his lop-sided beret? His thin lips are tightly compressed, and he's holding himself very upright. The man in this portrait is from a good family, a member of the Venetian upper class. You can tell, not only by his confident demeanour, but also by his dress: the bright red mantle and the blue doublet over a white shirt.

But who was this man? Despite the distinctive facial features, that knowledge has been lost. He seems to be standing in front of an atmospheric landscape, but even that doesn't give us a clue to his identity.

That's a pity, because the painter has rendered his sitter's facial expression and personality with great care. Previously, members of the upper classes had largely been portrayed as representatives of their rank and role in society, but that changed shortly before the year 1500. Some painters – including Vittorio Carpaccio – set out to discover their subjects' characters and individuality. They painted extremely vivid portraits. And indeed: there's a sense that the unknown gentleman with his red beret might speak to us any moment now – he's so lifelike.

Feel free to take a look around the room at the other subjects of the portraits in here. Some look quite static, while others appear lively and distinctive. And Carpaccio and his fellow painters even portrayed some of them with a knowing, almost humorous look.