At about the same time that Botticelli worked on the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, he painted several youthful portraits, including this one depicting a young man wearing a red headdress. The models are not identified; probably they were artists working alongside Botticelli or his Roman friends.
Portraits give the impression of being written from life, and a direct, open view speaks of a close acquaintance of the portraits with the artist. Unlike portraits showing the public status or individuality of the customer, these surprise the viewer with a sense of ease of models, not caring how they will look in the picture.