In sixteenth-century Venice portraits of men were produced in a great variety and in the highest quality. Titian was especially sought after as a portrait painter. In this portrait of a nobleman in a casual pose, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword, the painter combines dignified elegance with a sensitive, psychological characterisation. In keeping with the preference for a melancholic ideal of masculinity influenced by contemporary love poetry, the portrait not only reflects the sitter’s awareness of his status but also his emotional sensitivity.