Some of the most arresting portraits were produced in the Renaissance period. Artists including Jan Van Eyck, Hans Memling, Raphael, Hans Holbein and Giovanni Moroni created unique works that showcased originality and virtuosity.
A portrait may have appeared a straightforward commission for a renaissance artist, because after all, a resemblance with a touch of flattery would surely keep a patron happy and lead to bigger more lucrative commissions. However, some outstanding works were produced in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and reveal how the best portraits were not just about a likeness but try to convey the character and emotions of a real person. It wasn’t until the fifteenth century that portraits appeared as a separate entity, rather than as pious images of donors in larger devotional works. Earlier portraits were based on models from Classical antiquity such as the profiles on Roman medals, but the Renaissance heralded a new representational system in art which helped develop portraiture. Many artists excelled in the field and I’ve selected a few to discuss, who I find particularly interesting.
Continue reading