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In addition to well-known portraits existing, many artists who lived were solely known to paint portraits throughout their careers. Interestingly enough, when reviewing the most famous portrait paintings ever made, the artists tend to be universally known while the actual subject of the work remains less obvious. Often, these artists studied human anatomy in great detail so that they were able to meticulously understand the subtleties in each small change of expression and went on to portray this in their artworks. Many of the best artists in history had a remarkable talent that allowed them to express the gist of human emotion in a lone portrait. Dirck Jacobsz., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons van Oostsanen Painting a Portrait of His Wife (1550) by Dirck Jacobsz. Generally, artists creating portrait paintings work to capture a precise representation of their subject while emphasizing their physical, mental, and even spiritual characteristics in an admirable way.Īs portraits tend to evoke great emotions from both the artist and viewers, the focus placed on the face, expression, and personality of the individual is very influential. Portraiture is widely believed to be the most challenging form of painting to exist, as it requires an eager sharpness for portraying the human form in the utmost level of detail. As this age-old style has defined itself through the portrayal of others, a substantial and comprehensive collection of famous art portraits has been put together over the years, with various influential painters adding to the group.
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Described as a painting style intended to represent a particular human subject, the term “portrait painting” developed to accurately classify both the individual depicted and the actual painting. 3.2 What Is the Most Famous Portrait to Exist?Ĭonsidered to be the most prevalent genre in painting, portraiture has been attempted by most artists at some point.
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