The portrait of Mago Chiò
The painting depicts the profile of a man from the waist-up. The silhouette of the face culminates in the pronounced nose, which is contrasted in the lower part of the face by the receding chin and the protruding tip of the brim of the hat. The gaze is intense, underlined by the slightly half-closed eyes, and turned towards an indistinct point on the horizon. The nose has a slight bump and wide nostrils; the barely noticeable lips are closed, emphasised by the moustache, and give the face a serious, sad expression as if to reveal the personality of the sitter and his inauspicious destiny. The clothing also helps us understand more about the subject and clarify his social background: the dark jacket, though very faint, seems to fall loosely over the shoulders and reveals the white shirt with a high collar, in the typical style used by the commoners of the time. Finally, the hat, in the same blue as the jacket, is placed on the head with the front brim down on the forehead and the back brim raised on the nape of the neck, leaving us no doubt that the man belongs to the most humble social class. The portrait is executed with quick but precise brushstrokes, the background of the painting is neutral.