The artwork titled “Yawning Man (disputed attribution)” is attributed to the artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder and is dated around c.1563. Executed in oil on panel, the artwork belongs to the Northern Renaissance art movement. This piece measures 12.6 x 9.2 cm and is classified under the genres of portrait, sketch, and study. It is currently housed in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, located in Brussels, Belgium.
The artwork features a vividly detailed, oval-framed portrait of a man caught mid-yawn, capturing a raw and candid moment of human expression. The man’s face is characterized by exaggerated features, with his eyes shut tightly and mouth wide open, emphasizing the yawn. He is depicted wearing a loose white shirt with a drawstring at the neck. The background is a dark, muted tone, allowing the expressive face to stand out prominently. The frame encircling the portrait adds a sense of formality and focus to this intimate, yet spontaneous study of a fleeting everyday action.
