Artist and Attribution

The painting is attributed to Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510), although the attribution was not always certain. It was formally attributed to Botticelli by art historian Bernard Berenson in 1922.

Date and Medium

The painting is dated to around 1482-1485, a period considered part of Botticelli's most successful decade. It is executed in tempera on a wooden panel.

Dimensions and Description

The portrait measures 43.5 cm (17.1 in) by 46.2 cm (18.2 in) and depicts the head, shoulders, and chest of a young man. The subject has smooth, pale skin and shoulder-length, dark blond hair. The painting is notable for the young man's interesting expression and elegant hand gesture.

Interpretation

Some art historians have interpreted the young man's hand gesture and expression as possibly indicating early signs of conditions such as juvenile arthritis or Marfan syndrome, although these interpretations are speculative.

Provenance

The painting has a rich provenance, having been owned by several notable collectors. It was part of the collections of James-Alexandre, comte de Pourtalès-Gorgier, Henri-Joseph-François, baron de Triqueti, and Baron Arthur de Schickler, among others. It was purchased by The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust in 1936 and gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1937.

Exhibition History

The painting has been exhibited in several notable exhibitions, including the 'Loan Exhibition of Important Early Italian Paintings' in New York in 1924, the 'Exhibition of Italian Art 1200-1900' at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1930, and more recently in 'The Botticelli Renaissance' exhibition in Berlin and London in 2015-2016.

Current Location

The Portrait of a Youth is currently housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains one of the gallery's significant holdings from the Italian Renaissance period.