Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2024 May 2

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May 2

Profile painting of a man wearing a turban or similar in a blue background

Hello, I've seen a lot of time ago a picture of man, facing left or right, possibly with a beard, eyes closed, wearing a peculiar hat in a blue backgound. Could be a painting or a colored photo, can't really say. I've looking for painting of doges, sultans, popes with no results. Could you please help me? Thanks in advance. Carnby (talk) 10:13, 2 May 2024 (UTC)

@Carnby, would you happen to remember any details of where you saw this picture, or roughly what the hat may have looked like? No worries if not, just wanted to see if I could narrow it down. GalacticShoe (talk) 16:35, 2 May 2024 (UTC)

Maybe have a look through Category:Portraits of sultans of the Ottoman Empire? You're not giving us much to go on. Alansplodge (talk) 22:07, 2 May 2024 (UTC)

I know you've mentioned paintings of doges already, but it wouldn't happen to be File:Marco Barbarigo.jpg, would it? Man in profile, peculiar hat, on a blue background, only missing the optional beard and closed eyes (although it's somewhat difficult to discern whether his eyes are open or closed from a distance.) GalacticShoe (talk) 23:22, 2 May 2024 (UTC)

@Alansplodge@GalacticShoe Thanks for your efforts. I meant something like this. Hope it helps.-- Carnby (talk) 21:28, 3 May 2024 (UTC)

I was able to solve the mystery. It was John Gielgud in Prospero's Books (here).--Carnby (talk) 21:36, 17 May 2024 (UTC)

Interestingly enough, while Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, his hat in this depiction is very Venetian corno ducale, sans the typical red, gold, and white you see in portraits of doges. I couldn't find any media in commons:Category:Dukes of Milan depicting any similar hats, so it seems likely that for this depiction they just ended up choosing what they felt was an archetypal ducal hat. GalacticShoe (talk) 22:06, 17 May 2024 (UTC)