Portrait of René du Puy du Fou

This portrait of René du Puy du Fou, dating to around 1538, depicts a member of the provincial French nobility. Corneille de Lyon's portraits encompassed not only the highest ranks of French society but also the broader circle of courtiers, provincial nobles, and wealthy merchants who formed the patronage network of Renaissance France. His small portrait formula—head and shoulders on a colored ground, with minimal background—achieved a directness and psychological presence that larger, more elaborately staged portraits could not match, making his tiny paintings among the most intimate and revealing images of the French Renaissance court.

The sitter is rendered against Corneille's characteristic plain background with the precision and psychological acuity that distinguish his best work. Careful attention to costume details provides social context while the face reveals individual character.