Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Portrait of Bindo Altoviti by Raphael Sanzio

There is a saying that a "picture paints a thousand words". No wonder why people love taking pictures. In the past however when the camera was not yet invented, people opt to have their portraits made for remembrance. On this note, one of the most important artists of all times is Raphael Sanzio. He is considered to be one of the Three Masters of the Renaissance. One of his notable works is the Portrait of Bindo Altoviti.

Raphael was an Italian painter and architect. He was born in Urbino in Italy and was taught by his father to paint. He was famous for his works that define clarity and ease of composition. He used to wander a lot to do artwork commissions of famous and rich people in the society. He also do commission works in different churches and even for popes thus he was widely known then. Raphael continued to make master pieces. In the time of his death, he was working on The Transfiguration.

Because of his great contribution in the Renaissance period, his works are praised not only Italy. Now, his works would in millions of dollars and are sought after. A lot of his works are still present in churches in Italy and are preserved for the generations to come.

Raphael also commissions self-portraits. One of which was that of the Portrait of Bindo Altoviti. The question is; who is Bindo Altoviti? Bindo Altiviti is a famous and rich banker during Raphael's time. He was into arts; that was why he had his portrait made by Raphael. The portrait is indeed extravagant because of vibrant colors and intricate pose. The brushstrokes were superb and were flawless too. The painting has been widely interpreted in detail. The Portrait of Bindo Altoviti was transferred to one place to other. The family used to own it until was sold to a king, Ludwig I of Bavaria. Now, it resides the National Art Gallery in Washington, D.C.

The Portrait of Bindo Altoviti is kept and preserved so that people may witness the painting prowess of Raphael. Since there are a lot of art collectors who love to get hold of this masterpiece, a lot of painters these days reproduce the said portrait. They are being sold by made to order basis. Indeed, owning a great work of art by Raphael Sanzio is one of the greatest things one could have.