Portrait
of Titus the Monk
A portrait is defined as a
representation of a specific person, like one the artist might
encounter in real life. A portrait is important because it not only
captures how the person looks, but also says something about who he
or she is, offering a vivid sense of a real person's presence.
The
first portraits came in the forms of sculptures and coins dating back
to the ancient Greeks. The “modern” painted portrait had a strong
resurgence during the European Renaissance.
These painted portraits were first commissioned rather than used for
“art nouveau” or art for art's sake. The commissioned paintings
were those of important christian figure heads, and were mostly hung
as altarpieces. Portraits also served practical values, a ruler would
use a portrait of himself to assert his rule even in his absence, in
courting and diplomacy a man could see portraits of several wives
before he chose, or to memorialize generals. Portraits were also used
to mark a significant time during one's life, such as marriage, or a
big promotion.
The
hallmarks of the European Renaissance portrait is the sense of
reality and the intention to depict the uniqueness of the individual
person. This allows each portrait to express the individual identity
of that person. The second hallmark is the small number of formats
that the portraits were painted in. There was the profile view,
three-quartered face, and the half-length formula.
This
is a portrait of Titus in a Franciscans monk habit. Titus is the son
of the master painter Rembrandt. The first order of the Franciscans
were called The
Order
of Friars Minor.
The
Franciscans are a catholic group of monks that follow and worship
Saint Francis
of Assisi.
Saint Francis referred to his monks as "Fraticelli"
or little brothers.
Francis
of Assisi went to Egypt in 1219 to try to put an end to the conflict
of the crusades. His organization and sect of followers was
eventually authorized by the pope. In modern times there is now three
orders of Saint Francis of Assisi.
I chose this portrait because
I really like the giant hoodie on the monk, he looks like he's moping
with his headphones in because mom took away his keys to his car and
wouldn't let him stay out past his midnight curfew. The portrait is
painted in three-quartered face style, as well as uses light and
shadow to show perspective. The robe he is wearing shows the unique
identity of a monk and how they lived during that time period.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_as_a_Monk
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_as_a_Monk
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