Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 25 works by Fra Galgario in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Fra Galgario's most famous painting is Portrait of a Gentleman (1740), whose original hangs in the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan. Portrait of Francesco Maria Bruntino (1737) and Portrait of a Goldsmith (1739) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 25 works by Fra Galgario in our catalog, the gallery presents the 23 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
A man occupies the center of the frame, anchored by the heavy presence of a blue coat trimmed in gold. He wears a black hat and a white wig that frames a face of quiet intensity. In his hand, a sword rests, a cold sliver of metal that cuts through the softness of his fine attire. The fabric of his clothing holds the light in its folds, revealing the meticulous…
The man sits before us, his presence heavy and immediate in the dim light of a room that feels both intimate and eternal. He is Francesco Maria Bruntino, captured in a moment of quiet, perhaps even somber, reflection. His hair is loose, falling naturally around a face marked by a small, well-kept beard, and his eyes meet the viewer with a directness that feels startlingly modern. There is a weight…
The oil on canvas work titled Portrait of a Goldsmith is a late Baroque portrait of a man. The artist responsible for this painting is Giuseppe Ghislandi, who is also known by the name Fra' Galgario. This specific piece, dated about 1739, depicts a male subject in a formal manner. The sitter is identified as a jeweller, a designation supported by the presence of a ring and a jewel.
The work before us is titled Portrait of an Old Lady, a painting by the Italian artist Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi. Known also by the name Fra' Galgario, Ghislandi was a significant figure in the portraiture of the eighteenth century. This specific oil on canvas presents a formal study of an elderly woman, capturing her presence with a quiet, dignified bearing.
In the hallowed halls of the Hermitage Museum, amidst the grandeur of St. Petersburg, resides a quiet yet profound masterpiece that captures the fleeting innocence of youth: Giuseppe Ghislandi’s "Portrait of a Boy." Painted in 1730, this oil on canvas serves as a window into the early 18th century, offering much more than a mere likeness. The subject, a young man with an arresting presence, gazes directly at the viewer,…
This portrait, titled Portrait of a Young Nobleman, is a work by the artist Fra Galgario. While he is widely known by this moniker, the painter was born Giuseppe Ghislandi in Bergamo, Italy. This specific piece dates to about 1705, a period when his presence in the Lombard and Venetian traditions was firmly established. The sitter, perhaps a member of the local nobility or the rising bourgeoisie, is captured in…
The artwork titled portrait of a young man (Head) is a work by the Italian artist Fra Galgario. Known by the name Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi, the painter was a significant figure in the Venetian Baroque tradition. This specific piece is dated 1680.
A single gaze meets the observer from the shadows of the late seventeenth century. The subject, Bartolomio Manganoni, sits in a three-quarter pose, his body turned slightly away while his eyes lock onto the viewer. He wears a coat of deep, saturated red, a color that pulls the eye toward the center of the composition. Against this intense hue, the white of his lace cuffs and cravat appears sharp and…
The artwork titled Portrait of a Young Man is an oil on canvas created by the artist Fra Galgario. This portrait, which dates to about 1720, depicts a single male subject positioned within the frame. The figure is a young man, rendered with a focus on the physical likeness and the specific textures of his appearance.
In this intimate portrait from 1730, we find ourselves in the private, shadowed world of a young man. He sits in profile, yet his gaze is fixed directly upon us, creating an immediate, steady connection that feels both personal and profound. The composition is a medium close-up, focusing on the figure from the waist up, positioned slightly off-center to lend a sense of natural, unforced movement to his posture. There…
Portrait of Giuseppe Alberto de Ambiveri, Vicar of the Mines of Bergamo1740 · Minneapolis Institute of Art
12
Portrait of Count Giovanni Battista Vailetti1710 · Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia
13
Portrait of a Young Man (L1720 · Museo Poldi Pezzoli
14
Portrait of a young painter with a portrait of a boy1699 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
15
Portrait of Count Galeozzo Secco Suardo1681 · The Louvre
16
Portrait of Giovanni Secco Suardo and his Servant1720 · Accademia Carrara
17
Portrait of a Gentleman1730 · Pinacoteca di Brera
18
Self-Portrait1732 · Accademia Carrara
19
Boy in redFitzwilliam Museum
20
Portrait of a Young ManMuseum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK)
21
Portrait of a child
22
Portrait of Elisabetta Piavani Ghidotti1720 · Accademia Carrara
23
Portrait of a Young Painter1732 · Accademia Carrara
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Fra Galgario | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Accademia Carrara |
Bergamo | 5 | Portrait of Francesco Maria Bruntino, Portrait of Giovanni Secco Suardo and his Servant, Self-Portrait |
 Museo Poldi Pezzoli |
Milan | 2 | Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of a Young Man (L |
 Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum |
Madrid | 1 | Portrait of a Goldsmith |
 Rijksmuseum |
Amsterdam | 1 | Portrait of an Old Lady |
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 1 | Portrait of a Boy |
 Walters Art Museum |
Baltimore | 1 | Portrait of a Young Nobleman |
 Musée d'art et d'histoire de Narbonne |
Narbonne | 1 | Portrait of Bartolomio Manganoni |
 National Gallery of Art |
Washington | 1 | Portrait of a Young Man |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The artwork titled portrait of a young man (Head) is a work by the Italian artist Fra Galgario. Known by the name Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi, the painter was a significant figure in the Venetian Baroque tradition. This specific piece is dated 1680.
A single gaze meets the observer from the shadows of the late seventeenth century. The subject, Bartolomio Manganoni, sits in a three-quarter pose, his body turned slightly away while his eyes lock onto the viewer. He wears a coat of deep, saturated red, a color that pulls the eye toward the center of the composition. Against this intense hue, the white of his lace cuffs and cravat appears sharp and…
This portrait, titled Portrait of a Young Nobleman, is a work by the artist Fra Galgario. While he is widely known by this moniker, the painter was born Giuseppe Ghislandi in Bergamo, Italy. This specific piece dates to about 1705, a period when his presence in the Lombard and Venetian traditions was firmly established. The sitter, perhaps a member of the local nobility or the rising bourgeoisie, is captured in…
The room holds its breath as Count Giovanni Battista Vailetti occupies the center of the frame. He is a man of substance, draped in a heavy red cape that catches the light with a deep, saturated glow. His hand rests firmly upon a chair, a gesture that feels less like a pose and more like a claim to the space he inhabits. There is a quiet gravity in his gaze,…
The artwork titled Portrait of a Young Man is an oil on canvas created by the artist Fra Galgario. This portrait, which dates to about 1720, depicts a single male subject positioned within the frame. The figure is a young man, rendered with a focus on the physical likeness and the specific textures of his appearance.
The man sits before us, his presence heavy and immediate in the dim light of a room that feels both intimate and eternal. He is Francesco Maria Bruntino, captured in a moment of quiet, perhaps even somber, reflection. His hair is loose, falling naturally around a face marked by a small, well-kept beard, and his eyes meet the viewer with a directness that feels startlingly modern. There is a weight…
A man occupies the center of the frame, anchored by the heavy presence of a blue coat trimmed in gold. He wears a black hat and a white wig that frames a face of quiet intensity. In his hand, a sword rests, a cold sliver of metal that cuts through the softness of his fine attire. The fabric of his clothing holds the light in its folds, revealing the meticulous…
Portrait of a Gentleman (1740), Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan. Portrait of Francesco Maria Bruntino (1737) and Portrait of a Goldsmith (1739) come next.
85 years old: Portrait of a Gentleman dates from 1740, and Fra Galgario was born in 1655.
Portrait of a Gentleman, Portrait of Francesco Maria Bruntino, Portrait of a Goldsmith, Portrait of an Old Lady, Portrait of a Boy, Portrait of a Young Nobleman, portrait of a young man (Head), Portrait of Bartolomio Manganoni, Portrait of a Young Man and Young Painter in His Studio. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 25 works by Fra Galgario, dated from 1680 to 1740.
Mostly in Accademia Carrara (Bergamo), Museo Poldi Pezzoli (Milan) and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Madrid). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1730s: 8 of the 23 works on this page were made then, Portrait of Francesco Maria Bruntino among them.
On this page, the earliest is portrait of a young man (Head) (1680) and the latest Portrait of a Gentleman (1740).
Man (9), Portrait (8) and Dark background (4), across the 23 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 16 of the 23 works on this page.
Baroque, judging by the originals on this page.
Portrait of Francesco Maria Bruntino, Portrait of Giovanni Secco Suardo and his Servant and Self-Portrait: the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo holds 5 of the works on this page.
