Raphael - The Portrait of Bindo Altoviti
- Nathan Lifshitz
- 19 ביוני 2021
- זמן קריאה 2 דקות
Raffaello Sanzio was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, active in early 16th century Italy. Raphael is regarded as one of the most influential painters in the history of Western art. His works are marked by the softness of his strokes and by the balance between form, colour and vanishing points.
In contrast to the great artists of his time, such as Michelangelo, Raphael's confident lines and the spread of colours were harmoniously combined with great uniformity.
His paintings were produced in his workshop, which was established in response to his growing popularity and considerable workload. Here the painter welcomed young apprentices as well as seasoned professionals.
Renowned for his quiet, composed figures, Raphael established his style and paved the way for Mannerism, becoming a symbol of excellence in art academies across Europe through the centuries. Alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael is arguably one of the greatest contributors to the development of Western painting and his influence is still very visible.
In 1515, Raphael portrayed Bindo Altovit - a prosperous young banker with Roman origins, renowned for his generosity and wealth. Altovati was also a major patron of the arts, investing his fortune in its promotion. After befriending Raphael, the painter executed his portrait as well as another painting entitled The Madonna of the Impannata, now on display in the Pitti Palace.
The portrait depicts a sturdy young man with striking blue eyes and thick head of hair. His mouth is slightly open, revealing a deceptive shyness.
The picture remained in the family's private collection until it was acquired by Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1808 and moved to the Alte Pinakothek in Munich before being transferred to the National Gallery of Art in Washington in the late 1930s.
Nathan.
1. Raphael, The Portrait of Bindo Altoviti, 1515, oil on wood, 44x60 cm, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Müntz, Eugène. Raphael - Volume 2. New York: Parkstone International, 2018. Print
Kleinbub, Christian K., Vision and the Visionary in Raphael, 2011, Penn State Press
Jacques Bousquet, Il manierismo in Europa, Bramante, 1963