A reconstructed portrait of juan de la essay

After many centuries in which generic representation had been the norm, distinctive portrait likenesses began to reappear in Europe in the fifteenth century. This change reflected a new growth of interest in everyday life and individual identity as well as a revival of Greco-Roman custom.

The making of a portrait typically involved a simple arrangement between artist and patron, but artists also worked on their own initiative, particularly when portraying friends and family ( 18.72; 1981.238; 1994.7 ). These portraits sometimes display a sense of affection, informality, or experimentation unusual in commissioned works.

An example is Robert Campin’s Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) ( 56.70) of about 1427–32, in which the man and woman in the left wing have the specificity characteristic of portraiture.

The curious thing, however, is that the lady in the portrait doesn’t look at all like Luna’s wife who in photographs appears to have a skin color closer to brown than pearly white, with a countenance one is tempted to call almost masculine.