Collection

Coffin Portrait of Marcin Solski

unknown

Basic information
ID
Ж-1652
Author
unknown
Name
Coffin Portrait of Marcin Solski
Date of creation
18th c.
Technique
oil painting
Material
tinplate oil
Dimensions (height x width, cm)
40 x 29.9
Additionally
Information about author
Author
unknown
Object description
In the 17th century, the burial of a prominent noble was accompanied by a ceremony in which the portrait of the deceased played a defining role. The casket portraits were drawn "ad vivum" (as if alive) on a silver, copper or tin plate. They had a hexagonal shape, which was due to their placement on the end of the coffin. In the seventeenth century, it was strictly hexagonal; in the 18th century, the basis remains the same hexagonal shape, which acquires a complicated baroque profile. The first requirement for such portraits was to be as similar as possible to the face portrayed. The painter was not allowed to idealize, his task was to capture the individual facial features in detail. The portrait shows Marcin Solski on a dark background. The portrayed face and a part of his shirt peeping out from under the dark overcoat make a bright spot. The face features are detailed: high forehead, small arched eyebrows, small eyes, handlebar moustache, double chin. The absence of any inscriptions, coats of arms or detailing of clothing deepens the image of the man.
Portrayed person
The name of the person portrayed
Marcin Solski