Portetul lui Alecu Ghica

About this work

This painting shows an older man with a long white beard and dark hair tied back. He’s wearing a rich, dark fur coat over patterned clothes, with a star-shaped pin on his chest. His hands rest on the arms of a chair, and the background looks like a dim room with faint shapes. The man’s face is lit from above, making his features stand out against the shadowy background. The artist used soft shading to give his face a three-dimensional look. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this lighting trick works.