Giovanni Battista Moroni’s portrait of a 16th-century Italian tailor has long been regarded as a masterpiece.

Currently on display in our exhibition Giovanni Battista Moroni, the first comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work in the UK, The Tailor (c.1570) is the first known portrait of a skilled craftsman portrayed as a gentleman. Historically, portraits had been the domain of royals, aristocrats and religious leaders. As our curator Arturo Galansino explains, “This was unique… it had never been done before. The Tailor is one of the most revolutionary portraits in all of art history.”

In the video below, we ask Savile Row tailor Bryan Manning to cast his expert eye over the portrait, appraising both the cut of his clothes and the enigmatic expression on his face.

Giovanni Battista Moroni is in The Sackler Wing of Galleries at the RA until 25 January 2015.

Bryan Manning is a tailor based in London’s West End.

Amy Macpherson is the Royal Academy’s Senior Digital Producer.