(Portrait of Charles I) (1635; Paris, Louvre)
This portrait of Charles I of England was painted by Anthony van Dyck and represents a major innovation in the history of portraiture as it shows the king in an informal, leisurely moment. He wears hunting attire and stands in profile, his head turning toward the viewer, his left arm akimbo, and his elbow jutting forward. The set is Venetianized, with a landscape inspired by Titian's portrait Charles Von Horseback (1548; Prado, Madrid). Though the scene is informal, the king's status is nevertheless stressed. His costume is of silk and lace, his activity that of an aristocrat, his face with a melancholic expression—then considered the attribute of men who are well above all others — and his horse bowing to him in reverence.
Historical dictionary of Renaissance art. Lilian H. Zirpolo. 2008.