G612

Portraiture

#9

Portraiture #9

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Power of Portraiture

Their painted likeness may communicate different information about appearance, status, faith, and intellectual interests

Accessories like books, pets, jewelry, inscription, or art all contribute to the individualization of the sitters

12.194

Chancellor Leonhard von Eck (1480–1550). Barthel Beham

ca. 1527

Velouté

A slight asymmetry destabilize the frame. He is assertive, and feel even more when left hand is almost cut off? (Why feel even more from asymmetry?)

Cranach, Lukas

/ ring worn the way to show the initials to us

Portrait in general:

• median to eye, look at us

• median to nose, look sideways, deep in thought

• Median to almost the edge of face, seated figure

/ Portraiture is the most geometric and minimalist work - you determine the axis and you know the emphasis

** Art Idea: a huge canopy with instruction to do profile, 3/4 profile… then people go in and see a mirror with changing axis, then they pose

Isenbrant, Man Gold

/ an example that shows disharmony. axis to his eye but he is still looking sideways. Lack focus. The right arm is squeezed into the frame

Massays, Woman

/ a frontal distracted look—axis between eye and nose

** Research idea: do people stare at portraits shorten than other art because we assume we are learning about a person? And we want to leave the rest to “knowing” them so we look away?

Salviati, Altoviti

/ reverse facing 3/4 profile - axis on eye but look away

Tintoretto, Man

\\ praised for his prestezza (speed)

Titian, Archinto 

\\ brow knitted

Moroni, Vertova / Bonghi

\\ important precursor to Caravaggio; Titian singled him out for his naturalism in portraiture

/ Moroni doesn’t seem to follow the axis rule