Included in the landmark 1971 exhibition in Cleveland, Caravaggio and His Followers, this painting dates from Vouet's Italian period and was likely completed after his inital stay in Rome but before his self-portrait of circa 1627, now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon.  Spear (see Literature) gives it a possible dating of 1622-25, as Vouet's handling of the impasto in the ruff is freer than in his works of the later 1620s, though less vigorous than in his earlier paintings from his stays in Arles, Braunschweig and Rome. It has also been suggested that the portrait was completed a bit later, circa 1625-1627, during his final months in Italy.

One of the most important and influential French artists of the 17th century, Simon Vouet was born in Paris but traveled from an early age.  He was in England by the age of fourteen and spent time painting in Constantinople in 1611-12.  The following year he moved to Italy, and though he spent time in Venice, Naples, Bologna, Milan and Florence, it was in Rome where his career flourished.  He received a pension from King Louis XIII and remained in Italy for fourteen years, absorbing the influences of the Caravaggisti as well as the more classicizing styles of the Carracci and Guido Reni.  Upon returning to Paris in 1627, Vouet became the Premier peintre du Roi, a title he held until his death in 1649. His influence on French painting in the 17th century cannot be overstated: he is credited with brining the Italian Baroque to France, where it captured the attention of a whole new generation of artists. 

While the identity of the sitter is unknown, Vouet captures the man with a profound empathy and spirit.  His heavy eyelids and and strong cheekbones are emphasized by the dramatic lighting, evidence of the continued popularity of Caravaggism in Rome.