ortfolio
about
flowers
portraits
landscapes
list
other
blog

Portrait of Christophle le More

Jan Jansz Mostaert, 1525-1530

Oil on panel, 30.8 cm × w 21.2 cm

From Rijksmuseum:

This is the only known portrait of a black man in early European painting. He may have served at the Brussels court of Emperor Charles V, who had a black archer called Christophle le More among his bodyguards. The badge of the Virgin on his cap is a souvenir of a pilgrimage to Halle (Brabant), a favourite destination of pilgrims from the Brussels court.

Portrait of a Christophle le More-650px.jpg