About

In this portrait we are confronted by a man who looks directly at us with a sarcastic yet whimsical smirk. His humor, wit and intelligence are undeniably evident, but just below the surface there is perhaps

another, darker side.

He faces life completely on his own terms being bold and unapologetic, and has been gifted with enormous charm and charisma. If he likes you, he will shower you with praise and can be immensely generous and loyal. If he doesn’t like you... watch out.

Among his many entrepreneurial undertakings, he is a wine producer, and at the moment is sampling some of his own fine wine. That extended pinky as he holds the wine glass from the bottom of the stem is a sign of cultured refinement. Certain sommeliers will often hold the wine glass from the bottom of the stem in order to get a better rhythm while swirling the wine around in order to bring up the desired aromas. He will soon do just that and will raise the glass to his nose in order to sniff the wine as he so often does. It is important to realize that a well-executed portrait doesn’t just provide us with the solitary moment being portrayed, but in the hands of a Master, will clue the viewer as to what has happened in the recent past and what can potentially happen in the near future. It is a dynamic rather

than a static creation. The gifted artist will know just how to prod the viewer to make them participate in this deductive and inductive process while ‘reading’ the painting.

On the bar are a leather case and a pair of leather gloves that he removed a short while ago and placed there. Those gloves give a hint of the Season which of course is Winter. 

John Varriano has depicted this man, who is from the Tuscany region of Italy, in such a way that we might think of him as a descendant of Florentine Aristocracy. To aid in the portrayal of this he has provided The Grande Signore with a helmet fashioned in the style of The Renaissance, the mark of a true cavaliere.

The scene is illuminated by a soft, somewhat diffused natural light entering from the left, just outside of the scope of the painting. The handling of the paint throughout is rich and blended and there is a wonderful balance of cool blues and warm oranges creating a fine example of complimentary contrast. The painting of the sparkling metallic helmet is brilliant.

The large fellow at the end of the bar happens to be the subject of another portrait painting by Varriano.

Once again, Varriano has given us a wonderful portrait painting that we can relish in.

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