1650
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
Cardinal de Retz is a 1650 by Robert Nanteuil, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a serious look. He’s wearing a fancy robe with a cross hanging around his neck. The background is plain, so all the focus is on his face and shoulders. The artist used shading to make his face look three-dimensional, almost like you could reach out and touch it. This kind of lighting trick was common in portraits from this time. Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how artists like this one used light and shadow.
Robert Nanteuil (French pronunciation: ; 1623 – 9 December 1678) was a French portrait artist: engraver, draughtsman and pastellist to the court of Louis XIV.
See the richer artist page
