ABSTRACT
It was during the Renaissance, as man—not God—became the center of thought and the role of the individual became increasingly important in the society at large that there was a great increase in painted and sculpted portraiture. As John Pope-Hennessy stated: “Portraiture, like other forms of art, is an expression of conviction, and in the Renaissance, it reflects the reawakening interest in human motives and the human character, the resurgent recognition of those factors which make human beings individual, that lay at the center of Renaissance life. It is sometimes said that the Renaissance vision of man’s self-sufficient nature marks the beginning of the modern world. Undoubtedly it marks the beginning of the modern portrait.” 4 One’s ego, personality, and sense of individual worth were given new importance. There was a renewed interest in the classical world of Greece and Rome. Everyday life of this world, rather than life in the next world, was emphasized. Correct perspective and proportion were developed.
