Portrait of a Halberdier
1529-1530
Meet the ultimate Renaissance fashion icon, though he's packing a serious halberd to match his puffy white sleeves and bright red breeches. Painted by Pontormo during the chaotic Siege of Florence, this Mannerist masterpiece trades realistic proportions for elegant, elongated style and a cool, detached gaze that feels surprisingly modern. For decades, art historians fiercely debated if this dandy was actually a young Cosimo I de' Medici, but today he remains a mysterious guard. He's also a record-breaker, having sold for a staggering $35.2 million in 1989, making him one of the most expensive Old Master paintings ever purchased at the time!
Location: J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
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