Man with a Quilted Sleeve, Titian, 1510

Think Venice, 16th century. Titian - its greatest artist, trained in the workshops of Bellini and Giorgione, painter of the elite. This man in this beautiful portrait is remembered for the sumptuous silk suit he attired, because however arresting his face, his sleeve protrudes out at us and proves unforgettable, with its dents and seams. Who is Girl with a Pearl Earring? She could easily be Girl with a Blue Turban.

Man with a Quilted Sleeve, Titian, 1510, 81.2cm x 66.3cm, Oil on Canvas, National Gallery, London