The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s current exhibition, Hidden Faces: Covered Portraits of the Renaissance, invites visitors into the fascinating world of Renaissance portraits that were designed with more than just one side. This exhibition is the first to focus on multisided portraits, where the sitter’s likeness is not only concealed by a cover but also presented in a dual-faced format. These works reveal the complex ways artists and patrons explored identity, symbolism, and personal connections.
The Renaissance and Dual-Sided Portraits
Most people today are familiar with the idea of a portrait being a single image displayed on a museum wall. However, during the Renaissance, portraits were often created to be more than just a simple representation. They were sometimes designed to be portable and to convey deeper meanings through both visible and hidden imagery. These portraits were often made as diptychs—two panels that could be folded open—and sometimes even featured painted backsides. These “double-sided” portraits allowed the viewer to engage with the portrait in a more interactive way, inviting them to look at the cover, decode symbols, and uncover the true meaning behind the sitter’s appearance.
One of the key ideas behind these portraits was that the back or cover often featured symbolic elements, like emblems, allegories, and even mythological references, which reflected the sitter’s personal or political life. The exhibition shows that these hidden or alternate sides of the portraits were not merely artistic choices; they were loaded with meaning, often expressing emotions like friendship, love, or political loyalty.
Portable Portraits: A New Kind of Art
One of the most intriguing sections of the exhibition explores how portable portraits were created in the Renaissance. These miniature works of art were often placed in small objects like boxes, coins, and medals, making them easy to carry. In fact, some of these objects were used as tokens of affection, such as engagement gifts between lovers. A notable example is a German thaler coin from 1604, which had been hollowed out to hold a painted portrait of a woman. This portrait was paired with another coin of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II, suggesting that the coin box may have been a personal commission rather than a simple object of currency.
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Exhibit Overview | The exhibit “Hidden Faces: Covered Portraits of the Renaissance” explores multisided portraits. |
| Portable Portraits | Small Renaissance portraits were often designed to be portable, including diptychs and painted coins. |
| Symbolism on the Back | Many portraits had symbolic designs on the back that related to the sitter’s character or identity. |
| Portrait Coins | Portraits were sometimes placed on coins, such as the 1604 German “Wild Man” thaler, used as gifts. |
| Miniature Portraits | Smaller painted portraits, like Hans Holbein’s works, were often protected by lids or covers. |
| Medals and Allegories | Medals featured symbolic reverses, like Pisanello’s medals, combining portrait and emblematic designs. |
| Symbolism in Medals | Medals featured symbolic imagery to represent traits or virtues, such as innocence or sacrifice. |
| Portraits with Narrative | Some Renaissance portraits created a narrative using both sides, like Hans Süss von Kulmbach’s work. |
Another example of portable portraits is a round, painted miniature from the famous artist Hans Holbein the Younger. Portrait of a Man in Royal Livery (1532-1535) depicts a servant of Henry VIII, shown in royal attire. The miniature was likely housed in a painted lid that protected the portrait, indicating that it was meant to be carried as a personal object. These pieces of art were not just for display; they had a functional role, offering both portability and protection to the viewer’s most cherished likenesses.
Symbolism on the Backs of Portraits
The backs of these Renaissance portraits were not simply blank; instead, they were filled with symbols that related to the sitter’s life and character. For instance, some portraits were paired with objects or symbols that illustrated the subject’s power or status. Coins and medals were often designed to showcase this relationship between the front and back.
A powerful example comes from a series of Roman Imperial coins, where the obverse (front) features portraits of emperors like Augustus and Diocletian, while the reverse includes symbols like laurel crowns and a standing nude Jupiter. These symbols were meant to communicate the emperor’s glory, military victories, and divine favor. Similarly, a bronze head of a woman, used as a mirror cover, symbolized ideal beauty and youth, contrasting with the viewer’s own reflection. These symbols could hold political, cultural, or personal significance, depending on the viewer’s interpretation.
Renaissance Medals and the Symbolism of the Reverse
Another fascinating aspect of this exhibition is how Renaissance artists borrowed from the tradition of Roman coinage, fusing portraits with symbolic designs on the reverse. One of the standout pieces is a portrait medal of Cecilia Gonzaga, created in 1447 by the Italian artist Pisanello. The portrait itself depicts Gonzaga in court dress, while the reverse side shows her in a more symbolic setting. Gonzaga is shown subduing a unicorn—a symbol of knowledge and Christ—while the crescent moon represents her virginity and connection to the Roman goddess Diana.
Other medals in the exhibition, like the one depicting humanist educator Vittorino Rambaldoni da Feltre, reveal how the Renaissance used allegorical symbols to express complex ideas. The reverse of Rambaldoni’s medal shows a pelican feeding its young, symbolizing sacrifice and the idea of selflessness. This powerful use of symbolism allows viewers to appreciate the deeper connections between the portrait and the sitter’s identity or social role.
Narrative Double-Sided Portraits
A particularly interesting example of how two sides could tell a story is a portrait by Hans Süss von Kulmbach, created around 1508. The portrait features a young man, gazing thoughtfully into the distance. On the reverse, a young woman is shown binding a garland of flowers, a traditional symbol of a bride. The use of the garland and the woman’s attire, which signals that she is unmarried, provides a narrative that suggests the young man is soon to be a bridegroom. This unique combination of the two sides tells a deeper story, reflecting the cultural significance of love and marriage during the Renaissance.
Conclusion: A Rich Tapestry of Meaning
The Hidden Faces exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a fascinating look into how Renaissance artists used dual-sided portraits to express complex ideas about identity, relationships, and symbolism. These works were not just about creating likenesses of their subjects; they were designed to communicate deeper meanings, often through the use of hidden imagery and symbols. Whether on the back of a painting, the reverse of a coin, or inside a box, these portraits tell a rich, multifaceted story that invites the viewer to explore and uncover the layers of history, culture, and personal identity embedded in these artworks.
FAQs
1. What is the main theme of the exhibit “Hidden Faces: Covered Portraits of the Renaissance”?
The exhibit explores portraits from the Renaissance period that were created with two sides, where one side was hidden or symbolically covered. These portraits used the back of the piece to add deeper meaning and provide insight into the sitter’s identity or story.
2. Why were some Renaissance portraits portable?
Many portraits were created as small, movable artworks, often in the form of diptychs (double-sided panels), coins, or miniature portraits. These could be carried by individuals, especially as tokens of affection, political allegiance, or personal gifts.
3. What is a diptych in Renaissance art?
A diptych is a two-panel artwork where each side can be opened or closed. In Renaissance portraits, the back often featured symbolic designs that related to the sitter’s character or story. This allowed viewers to understand more about the person being depicted.
4. How did symbolism play a role in the back of Renaissance portraits?
The backs of many Renaissance portraits featured symbolic designs, such as allegories, mythologies, or personal emblems. These symbols helped to tell a deeper story about the subject, often reflecting their personal traits, social status, or cultural beliefs.
5. What is the significance of medals and coins in the exhibit?
Medals and coins from the Renaissance period featured portraits on one side and symbolic imagery on the other. These items were not only artistic representations but also conveyed deeper meanings about the individual depicted, such as their virtues or achievements.