This portrait depicts a man.
He holds the cardinal position, the second highest position in the Catholic Church after the pope.
The man portrayed in the painting is thin and has distinctive features that make him easily recognisable.
Features are the lines and shapes on the face of a person that make them unique.
Raphael painted the man on a dark background and dressed him in the traditional cardinal purple colour.
This portrait shows a clever, educated, stylish, and decisive man.
The man is seated, forming a triangular shape like the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, which inspired Raphael.
The man in the portrait has a cold and distant look.
His left eye is turned towards the right, giving the impression that he looks directly at the viewer.
It is difficult for anyone to pass by without pausing to wonder who he was.
The identity of the man in this portrait is a topic of discussion among experts.
Most experts believe that the person in the portrait is Francesco Alidosi, a trusted advisor to Pope Julius the Second and a patron of Raphael, who commissioned several artworks from him.
The portrait shows how talented Raphael was in creating portraits.
Experts consider this portrait one of the best works of Raphael.
Raphael painted it soon after arriving in Rome.
During his time, Raphael was known for making people look better than they were in his portraits.
