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Detail from the portrait 'Man in red', showing his capped head
Conserving the Man in Red

Examine one of the most enigmatic paintings in the Royal Collection

Paint analysis

Cross-section of paint layers taken from a shadow area of the red collar©

The magnificent appearance of this portrait owes much to the rich red colour of the sitter’s costume. Analysis of a tiny sample suggests that two layers of transparent red lake glaze were used on top of an opaque layer of red pigment to create the intense red of the sitter’s gown. In the lower glaze is a madder lake, while the upper glaze contains high levels of kermes.

The expense and rarity of kermes explains why it is reserved only for the final paint layer. In order to be used for painting, kermes was usually extracted from offcuts of dyed silk. So the same precious pigment could have been used to dye the actual clothes the sitter wears, and to represent those beautifully recreated in his portrait.


The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.