Retrato de niña, by Daniel Hernández Morillo (1875-1932)

Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 41 x 32 cm

MNBA

In a portrait, the artist not only depicts the physical features of the subject but also tries to capture their persona and feelings. Hernández Morillo, the Peruvian artist of the middle-classes of the 19th century, shows us a smiling young girl. Her head is a bit bent backwards, watching the public, in a mixture of innocence and sensuality.

Ginevra de Benci, by Leonardo da Vinci (1474-1478)

Technique: oil on wood / Measures: 38 x 37 cm

National Gallery of Art - Washington

And this week, in which we celebrate his birthday... Why not pay a tribute to Leonardo, the portrait-painter? When da Vinci was barely 22, he was asked to paint the portrait of a girl called Ginevra who was 16 years old. The artist places her outdoors, while at that time, women remained mostly indoors.  This was definitely an innovation. The painting was commissioned to celebrate Ginevra's engagement, which does not seem to make her happy.

The detail above shows Leonardo's skill in depicting depth in the face with a technique (oil) he had just begun to use. His talent transformed art for ever...

Artists and fashion photographers around the world pay him a much-deserved tribute... 

Kick the habit, by Michael Sanders
(The Face Magazine - 1997)
Old Masters, a series by Rainer Elstermann.