Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan

Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan

This artwork was done by renowned Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini. Bellini's masterpieces marked a shift in Venetian artwork, as he was one of the first painters to create a dynamic between the painting and the viewer. His expert use of landscapes to was one of many reasons why he was commissioned to do so many altarpieces. [1] This specific painting depicts Doge Leonardo Loredan, who was the 75th doge of Venice from 1501 until his death in 1521. This painting was made near the end of Bellini's career, which is when many artists of the time tend to become slightly more irrelevant, however Bellini just seemed to get better. This is evident in the mystical portrait he creates. [2] We can see the Doge wearing the typical ducal crown. Additionally, Bellini highlights the wrinkles on Leonardo's forehead and cheeks because age during the this time period represented wisdom. The portrait intended to represent the style of the busts from Ancient Rome. Furthermore, the plain blue background contributes to the mysticality of the work, but also provides a subtle landscape design that does not distract the viewer from the main focus, which is the Doge. Finally, the Doge is portrayed wearing lavish clothing, with lots of gold. This white and gold represents the purity and power of the Doge, which demonstrates the confidence the people had in their Doge. Overall, the painting exemplifies the aristocratic nature of the Venetian people and society. The final visual detail that has significance in this painting is the neat signature of Bellini. The care and bravura with which the signature is handled suggests it as a signature done by the master himself. The letters are perfectly space, and there are many defining features. The "A" stradles the crease, the second "L" in Bellini is slightly raised, and the there is a triangular point at the end of his name. This attention for detail represents the strive for perfection that Bellini had in his work. [3]

[1] Christiansen, Keith. "Bellini and the Meditational "poesia"." Artibus Et Historiae 34, no. 67 (2013): 9-20. Accessed October 7, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23510240.

[2] Brown, David Alan. Giovanni Bellini: the Last Works. Milano: Skira, 2020.

[3] Pincus, Debra. "Giovanni Bellini's Humanist Signature: Pietro Bembo, Aldus Manutius and Humanism in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice." Artibus Et Historiae 29, no. 58 (2008): 89-119. Accessed October 6, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40343651.

Giovanni Bellini

Image: Giovanni Bellini, active about 1459; died 1516. 1501-2. Doge Leonardo Loredan. Place: The National Gallery, London, Bought, 1844. https://library.artstor.org/asset/ANGLIG_10313768375.

Scholary Article 1: Pincus, Debra. "Giovanni Bellini's Humanist Signature: Pietro Bembo, Aldus Manutius and Humanism in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice." Artibus Et Historiae 29, no. 58 (2008): 89-119. Accessed October 6, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40343651.

Scholary Article 2: Christiansen, Keith. "Bellini and the Meditational "poesia"." Artibus Et Historiae 34, no. 67 (2013): 9-20. Accessed October 7, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23510240.

Book:

Brown, David Alan. Giovanni Bellini: the Last Works. Milano: Skira, 2020.

National Gallery Picture Library, The National Gallery Company, St. Vincent House, 30 Orange Street, London WC2H; Tel No: 02077475996

1501 - 1502

Jared Kreis

Photograph: ©The National Gallery, London

Oil on poplar, 61.4 × 44.5 cm

Painting

The National Gallery, London, England