Doge Leonardo Loredan
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This work by Giovanni Bellini presents Doge Leonardo Loredan shortly after his election to the position [1]. It depicts him ceremoniously in elegant robes with the symbolic corno ducale on his head. Loredan is seen with a look of consternation upon his face, appearing to be focused intently on something in the distance. Behind him is a solid blue background and the artist has signed his name at the bottom of the frame. The painting itself is relatively simple, the only adornment coming from the clothwork on his clothes. However, the level of detail is visually stunning.
Bellini uses a variety of techniques to convey messages about the important subject in these details. First, he uses a harsh light source on the left side to grant perspective. This now more three-dimensional figure appears more real––an effect aided by the use of natural, soft tones both in the skin of Loredan and in the background. Furthermore, the lighting brings out the wrinkles on the Doge’s face, signalling his age and therefore wisdom to the Venetian people. And although his gaze makes him seem a somber and serious person, his placid expression underscores his clear judgement and impartiality.
The portrait is nothing short of an open display of power. The commissioning of one of the most well-respected artists in Venice at the time and having his signature unmistakeable is no coincidence for the Doge. In addition to that, the solid background incorporates the very expensive pigment ultramarine––the wealth in addition to the power [2]. This painting was meant to hang in the council room of the Palazzo Ducale in Venice alongside those made for other doges, but this one elegantly stood out––evoking busts of the great Roman emperors and thus implying Loredan was equal in grace and greatness to them [3].
[1] Peter Humfrey, Painting in Renaissance Venice, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997), 23.
[2] “Doge Leonardo Loredan: Giovanni Bellini,” The National Gallery, accessed October 5, 2020, https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/giovanni-bellini-doge-leonardo-loredan.
[3] David Alan Brown and Slyvia Ferino-Pagden, Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006), 42.Creator
Source
Brown, David Alan; Ferino-Pagden, Sylvia. Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006.
The National Gallery. “Doge Leonardo Loredan: Giovanni Bellini.” Accessed October 5, 2020. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/giovanni-bellini-doge-leonardo-loredan.
Humfrey, Peter. Painting in Renaissance Venice. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997.
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