Portrait of a Monk in Prayer

This unidentified sitter wears the black habit of a Benedictine monk, and probably formed the left wing of a diptych or triptych. The portrait combines a mix of artistic influences and can be compared to both Flemish and French portraits. The attention to details, like the stubble of his beard, relates to Flemish portraits, while the lighting is more dramatic and emphasizes the sculptural quality of the head and hands. A similar blue background can be seen in Clouet’s later portrait of Guillaume Budé (46.68).