Why did they used to photograph dead people as if they were alive?

To draw means to give an image, and the image is that by which one thing is distinguished from another.

Among the names of the Almighty is the name “Al-Musawwiru”, which means “He who gave shape to all creations and ordered them.” Allah gave each creation a separate, inherent image that distinguishes one creation from another.

You can give an image to something not only by drawing. The sculptor also gives an image to his sculptures, but his images differ from the artist’s images in that the sculpture has a body that casts a shadow, parts of which can be touched and viewed from all sides. As for the drawing, this image can only be looked at from one side, parts of its body cannot be touched, and it does not cast a shadow, since it is on a solid surface in the form of a canvas or a sheet of paper.

They give the image different things, both animate (for example, a person, animal, etc.) and inanimate (trees, house, sun, cars, etc.).

In this article we will look at:

– Sharia's attitude to drawing in general ;

– Sharia's attitude towards drawing portraits ;

– and is it possible according to Islam to keep portraits and other drawings at home? .

Drawing inanimate objects

Draw inanimate objects, whether created by the Almighty in the form of the sky, sun, stars, trees, mountains, plains, seas, or made by human hands in the form of a house, car, ship, etc. - is permitted in any form, by a unanimous decision of all theologians. For what is permissible for a person to create with his hands is also permissible for him to draw. Unless, of course, it is depicted for the purpose of people worshiping him. For example, there are people who worship the sun, stars or a certain tree, idol, in which case drawing the sun or what they worship for these people is prohibited. Scientists point this out Ibn Abidin And Ibn Hajar.

In favor of the permissibility of drawing inanimate objects, the Ulama cite the following reliable hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), transmitted by Abu Hurairah: “ Angel Jibril said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Command that the head of the idol be cut off so that it becomes like a tree "(narrated by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi).

Another hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), transmitted from Ibn Ab-bas, says: Whoever draws any image will be punished by Allah until he brings it to life, and he will never be able to do this "(al-Bukhari).

This hadith refers to images of things that have a soul. Inanimate objects do not belong here. This is confirmed by the hadith reported by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), which says: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “ Everyone who creates images (will find himself) in Fire, where for every image he creates, someone will be created who will torment him in Hell. If you absolutely must do this (that is, draw), then depict trees and everything that has no spirit "(al-Bukhari; Muslim).

Drawing what has a soul

The next type of drawing is to depict something that has a soul, like a person, an animal, etc. There are disagreements among theologians about the permissibility of drawing something that contains a soul. After all, most of the hadiths that prohibit drawing or contain a curse against those who draw are associated precisely with this type of drawing.

Regarding this issue, the scholars of the Imam's madhhab Malika And Ibn Hamdan from the Hanbali madhhab spoke about the permissibility of drawing the image of living beings, subject to the following conditions:

- so that the image of what is drawn does not cast a shadow like figurines. If they draw on a flat surface, like a canvas, a wall, paper, fabric, then it will be blameworthy (makruh);

- so that what is drawn from a living being is defective, but lacking any parts of the body without which it cannot exist, such as a person without a head or any other part of the body, or with a large hole in the head or breasts, or just a bust, etc.

If these images are drawn on a flat surface that can be trampled underfoot, that is, in a disrespectful position or in a form in which it cannot exist (without a certain part of the body, etc.), then there is no condemnation here, but undesirability remains draw them.

In this they refer to a hadith narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “We had a curtain with a picture of a bird, and every time someone entered the house, it would be in front of him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told me: “ Turn it around, truly, every time I come in and see it, I remember this world ».

Also, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions used Roman dinars and Persian dirhams, on which their kings were depicted. The companion of the Prophet Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) issued dinars on which there were images. Caliph Abdul-Malik minted dinars with his image. And all this during the time of the Companions and Tabiyins. Also sometimes cited as an argument is the use by some of the Companions of curtains or bedspreads on which there were images. Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim cite a hadith that says that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juwayni used a curtain on which there were images. Abu Shaibah says that Urwa ibn Zubair used pillows with images of birds and people.

But the scholars of the madhhabs Imam al-Shafi'i And Abu Hanifa, also some theologians of the madhhab of Imam Ahmad argued that it is forbidden to draw something that has a soul, be it a person, an animal or a bird. And it makes no difference whether it casts a shadow or not. Imam an-Nawawi spoke more strictly about the ban. They consider this one of the great sins, since the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “ Verily, the most severe punishments on the Day of Judgment are intended for those who give the image "(al-Bukhari, Muslim).

In the interpretation of this hadith Imam an-Nawawi writes that this applies to those who give images for the purpose of worshiping them. It is also said that this applies to those who give images with the intention of becoming like Allah in creation, that is, in creating them. In the latter case, these people fall into disbelief (kufr). If there is no such intention, then this person is a fasik - a sinner who commits a great sin.

As an argument for the prohibition of drawing, they cite the hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Aisha is reported to have said: " The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) returned (to Medina) after one of his campaigns, and at the entrance to the storeroom I hung a thin curtain on which there were images (we are talking about images of living beings), and, seeing it, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) blessings upon him) tore it, the color of his face changed and he said: “O Aisha, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will inflict the most severe punishment on those who try to become like Allah in creation! "(al-Bukhari, Muslim).

Ibn Abbas is reported to have said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “ Everyone who creates images (will find himself) in Fire, where for every image he creates, someone will be created who will torment him in Hell " Ibn Abbas added: “ If you absolutely must do this, then (depict) trees and everything that has no spirit "(al-Bukhari, Muslim).

Ibn Abbas also said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “ Whoever creates (any) image in this world, on the Day of Resurrection will be entrusted with the duty of breathing spirit into it, but he will not be able to (ever do this)!"(al-Bukhari, Muslim).

It is reported that Ibn Masud said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “ Indeed, of all people, those who make images will suffer the most severe torment on the Day of Resurrection! "(al-Bukhari, Muslim).

They also refer to a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah. Once Abu Hurayrah went to the house under construction of Said or Marwan in Medina and, seeing an artist painting on the wall, said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “Allah the Almighty said: “And who is more unjust?” , than a person who tried to create something similar to My creation? Let them create an ant, or let them create a grain of wheat, or let them create a grain of barley!” (al-Bukhari, Muslim).

The reason for such a prohibition is to resemble Allah in creating creations, as stated in the above hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Are photographs prohibited?

As for photographs of our time, the Ulamas write the following about this. An image reflected in a mirror or water is permitted. Photographs also fall into this category, since the person photographing someone merely instantly captures mirror reflection through the device. After which it saves this reflection and prints it on paper using a printer. There is no specific process of drawing or shaping with your hands. This decision is supported by the arguments that the Malikis give in their decision on the permissibility of drawing on a flat surface. Of course, it is forbidden to take naked photographs of strangers, men or women, or similar images that are prohibited from being looked at.

The reasons why it is forbidden to draw images of living beings are as follows:

1. Similarity to Allah Almighty in the creation of creations, as stated in the above hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

2. The giving of images becomes a means that leads to exaltation and reverence for images that one has created, which contributes to delusion or worship of them. When Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) received the prophecy, he found people worshiping precisely the images and idols created by people. And Islam has forbidden both worship and the creation of that which is worshiped, or that which contributes to it.

3. Similarity to the actions of the infidels, who carved idols from stones and worshiped them. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made it condemnable to perform prayers during sunrise and sunset, so as not to become like those who worship the sun.

4. The presence of images in any place prevents the entry of angels there, as stated in the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “ Angels do not enter a house where there are images, a dog and a person obliged to perform a full ritual bath (junub) "(an-Nasai, Ibn Majah).

In the book “Kanzu al-Raghibin” it is written: “The forbidden are images of animals placed on the wall, painted on the ceiling, pillow, curtain or clothing. It is permitted if they are on the ground or carpet, which is trampled underfoot, or on seat cushions, or if they are defective images, like a living creature without a head or trees. The point is that what is thrown to the ground is humiliated by being trampled upon, but what is set up and raised up is like idols.” In the same book it is written: “It is forbidden to draw anything that has a soul on walls, ceilings, also on the ground, or weave on clothes. The hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) states that “ Those who draw these images will suffer the most punishment on the Day of Judgment ».

Imam al-Qalyubi writes: “Like an image without a head, there is an image that is devoid of a part of the body, without which it cannot exist. The exception is toys for girls, as Aisha played with them near the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).”

Toys and drawing for children

Most scholars have made drawing and shaping of children's toys, like dolls for girls, an exception to the prohibition. They spoke about this Shafi'is, Malikis, Hanbalis.

Al-Qadi Iyaz cites references to this exception from most ulama. He was also followed by Imam al-Nawawi in his commentary to Sahih Muslim: “The exception to what is prohibited in giving images that cast a shadow are toys for girls, since it is said that this is permitted. It does not matter whether it will be in the form of a sculpture of a person or an animal having similar image among animals, either real or imaginary, like a horse with wings.”

In the book “Nihayat al-Mukhtaj” Ibn Hajar writes: “ It is allowed to give an image to toys for girls. The wisdom behind this is for girls to learn parenting by playing with dolls».

The ulama argue in favor of this in a hadith transmitted from Aisha: “ I played with dolls near the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and I had girlfriends who played with me... ».

Scientists make no distinction between attaching a shadowy image to a toy or simply drawing it on a piece of paper.

Al-Halimi leads that the reason for this is not only to accustom girls to raising children, but also to instill joy in their hearts through games and fun. According to this decision, this question not limited to girls.

Abu Yusuf He said that toys can be sold and children can play with them.

As for those images that fall into the category of those permitted according to the madhhab of Imam Malik (for example, images on a canvas or flat surface), or inferior images permitted according to the madhhab Imam al-Shafi'i and others (for example, images without a head or any part of the body without which the animal cannot exist), or toys, dolls for children, sculptures made of material that quickly deteriorates (for example, from something baked) - that’s all it can be bought and sold. Toys and dolls can be made. The money received for this will be permissible.

Many have seen the so-called mysterious, as if alive, portraits, who always look directly at us, following our movements and turning their eyes to where we are moving. This interesting feature Such portraits have been known for a very long time and have always seemed incomprehensible to many. In ancient times, such portraits evoked superstitious fear, and clergy sometimes took advantage of this, frightening people with images of gods and miracle workers - icons deliberately painted so as to instill “the fear of God.”

Such portraits sometimes literally frighten nervous people. In N.V. Gogol’s story “Portrait” there is a description of the portrait of one evil and greedy St. Petersburg moneylender, who ruined many people through his actions. There is a description of the portrait:

“Two terrible eyes stared straight at him; a threatening command to remain silent was written on his lips... The eyes stared at him and, it seemed, did not want to look at anything else but at him... The portrait looks past everything that is around, straight at him - he simply looks inside him..."

A version of the story by N.V. Gogol is the story “Portrait” Soviet writer A. N. Tolstoy, which also describes “ wonderful properties"the eyes of the serf-owning count, depicted by his serf artist.

Walking through the halls Tretyakov Gallery, you can see several portraits of great Russian artists; these are portraits that have the property "turn your gaze towards the viewer", which, of course, will cause you nothing but aesthetic pleasure. Portraits of this kind include, for example, a portrait of the playwright A. N. Ostrovsky by the artist V. G. Perov, his self-portrait, a portrait of L. N. Tolstoy by the artist I. N. Kramskoy and some other portraits.

Consequently, the mystery of such living portraits has already been solved, and the superstitious legends created on this occasion are just idle fiction.

What explains this property of these portraits? Firstly, it is explained by the fact that the pupils of the eyes in the portrait are placed in the middle of the eye section. This is exactly how we see eyes looking at us, but when the eyes look to the side, past us, the pupil and the entire iris seem to us to be not in the middle of the eye, but shifted to the side. When we move away from the portrait, the pupils, of course, do not change their position - they remain in the middle of the eyes, and since we continue to see the whole face in the same position in relation to us, it seems to us that the portrait has turned its head and is watching us .

Currently, such posters are sometimes used for campaigning and advertising purposes. Sample propaganda poster of the times civil war completed Soviet artist D.E. Moore, shown in Fig. 118.

Rice. 118.

Secondly, the reason for the appearance of the illusion of a living portrait, most often in the case of portraits - works of art, turns out special arrangement of shadows on the upper part of the face and near the eyes, which sometimes conceals a slight turn of the head, and a slight shift of the pupils to the edges of the eyes, and the gaze seems to be turned not to the side, but directly at us.

At one of the London exhibitions a portrait of W. Shakespeare was shown, in which great writer was depicted in such a way that he not only kept his eyes on the visitors, but also turned his head after them. It turns out that this was the “sculptor” of L. Pogwell (Fig. 119),

Rice. 119.

on which the bas-relief was made not convex, but concave.

It should be noted that the eyes of animals (horses, dogs, deer) can be depicted in such a way that they will follow us everywhere. This effect was once used when demonstrating the first “living pictures” in cinema.

There are also features of the portraits that were first noticed by the English physicist Wollaston. Firstly, we judge facial expression not so much by the eyes themselves, but by the lines of the mouth. So, for example, the questioning look belonging to the person in Fig. 120 left,

Rice. 120. We judge facial expression not so much by the eyes as by the line of the mouth.

turns into a mocking one on the face shown in Fig. 120 on the right, although the position of the eyes in both cases remains unchanged. Secondly, in many cases we judge the direction of gaze not so much by the eyes themselves, but by the turn of the face, the position of the nose, mouth, etc. Many artists use these properties of a portrait.

Finally, on a black background, fig. 121

Rice. 121. The position of the human body can be judged by the position of the head and hands.

two artists are depicted, for whom the artist did not draw either arms, legs, or torso. Subconsciously, you seem to see the legs and imagine the position of the hands, especially if you look at the drawing at a distance of 80 cm. Very often, in order for an artist to evoke a certain image in our minds, it is enough to recreate any one of the signs of this image: or the outline of an object, or the light impression it makes on it. Other signs can be automatically added by our rational activity due to the habit of always seeing them in connection with others. It also happens that we see objects on the canvas that are not depicted on it. When looking at some paintings, it is easy to see that we can distinguish individual hairs on a beard or leaves on trees where these objects are absent. The artist did not paint either hair or leaves, but reproduced the well-known effect of light reflected from the rough surface of the canvas, and since we observed similar lighting on hair or leaves, our consciousness gives us the impression of what the eyes do not see at all. That is why a painting, correct in everything regarding outlines, perspective, lighting and colors, gives us exactly the same visual impression as the objects themselves depicted in the picture.

An interesting game proposed by the artist T. Ya. Kobrina. The outline of the head is given (Fig. 122)

Rice. 122.

and it is proposed to draw several caricatures or caricatures on its basis, and any rotations of the contour are allowed so that the line OO" can form any angle with the horizontal. And so, let’s say, two artists, competing with each other, each produced three caricatures shown in Fig. 123.

Rice. 123.

It is not difficult to see that it is possible to give several more similar drawings within the same contour, and this indicates how friendly our vision and thinking are.

The next variety visual illusion associated with portraits is secondary image illusion. It is as follows. If you look at a dark (dense) negative carefully, and, if possible, without shifting your gaze from two white dots on the lower part of the face for 10-15 seconds, and then quickly turn your gaze to a sheet of white paper and also look at it motionlessly, then in about In 2-3 seconds a positive image of the negative will appear on the sheet. This secondary image will be visible for approximately 6-8 seconds (Fig. 124, 125).

Rice. 124. Looking at a negative drawing for a long time, without blinking, and then turning your gaze to White background, we can see a positive image.

Rice. 125. Looking at the dark silhouette of a boy for a long time, without blinking, and then turning our gaze to a white background, we can see a light image of the silhouette on a gray background.

The illusion of a secondary image is explained by the fact that that when viewing a negative, the nerve fibers (cones) of that part of the retina of the eye that contain the light (white) areas of the negative become more tired; and those places of the retina on which little reflected light falls (from the dark places of the negative) become less tired. When we then turn our gaze to white paper, a lot of light falls on all areas of the retina. Untired retinal nerve fibers readily respond to this light, creating the impression of white in the brain. Areas of the retina with tired nerve fibers cannot yet respond to light in full force, and our brain creates the impression of a positive portrait.

Nerve fatigue the retina can also be observed by looking at Fig. 126.

Rice. 126. Looking at it for a long time white square the bottom white stripe will disappear.

A similar phenomenon can be observed by examining a series of black spots on white paper and fixing the gaze on one of them; after a short period of time, other spots will begin to disappear, but then appear again (Troxer's experience). Finally, in Fig. 127

Rice. 127. What is shown in this picture can be better seen from an arm's length distance.

another illusion is presented, essentially similar to those presented in this paragraph.

Hidden pitfalls of an extremely popular subgenre portrait painting. Well, again: what filters do artists use when providing us with a finished picture? Does everyone lie, and why do they lie?

When we were guessing from portraits which people were married, someone wrote about this image of the queen that one could guess that the picture was painted after her death, by the expression on her face and how she did not meet her husband’s eyes. This is not ironclad proof, but it gave me a desire to talk about how the “posthumous portrait” genre works and what nuances it has.

And here are several portraits of the same people. Can you guess which one was written from a living person and which from a dead person?

***
What it is?
“Posthumous portraits” are completely normal paintings depicting completely normal “living” people. That is, these are by no means “deathbed portraits”, when the artist depicted a corpse. No, it’s just a painting, the need to create which arose when the model had already left this world. For example, like me last time, if a person decided that in addition to the portrait of his father, he needed a portrait of his mother. Or if the palace needs to be decorated with a magnificent portrait of the emperor who built it, and all the existing ones are somehow small. Important nuance: These posthumous portraits attempt to preserve a portrait likeness, that is, they are based on a real example, portrait or sketch made from life, during life. If there is no such thing, and the newly created portraits are drawn entirely from the bullshit (like Rurik and Oleg in the “Tsar’s Titular Book” of the 17th century, or El Cid in the Spanish portrait gallery ancestors of the 19th century), then these are fictitious, “retrospective portraits”.

Sometimes they can be easily identified, sometimes difficult (in most cases these are just copies of paintings painted during life; we don’t count them, we need the author’s original concepts).
Let's try to isolate some of their features.

For example, a dead man in a new portrait intended to glorify him, usually more beautiful than in a painting painted from life. Since the artist already knows what he is famous for (and why the painting was needed), he seems to be surrounded by a certain aura of fame. The skin may even glow in a different way. We clearly see that there is a HERO or Ancestor here. Well, or the deceased wife, written for a saddened and still in love widower.

1) Zh.M. Nattier. "Portrait of Peter I", 1717 (lifetime)
2) P. Delaroche. "Portrait of Peter the Great". 1838 (posthumous)

Another picture can be more polished, ceremonial, filled with speaking attributes, turning not into a portrait, but some kind of historical painting almost with the plot.
The character may have an overly thoughtful expression on his face (indicating that he is no longer of this world). The painting may contain attributes indicating death (for example, soul = bird). An important key (which is only suitable for those erudite in art), if the painting’s style of painting does not suit the era in which the character lived.

Sometimes you can see that the head from the old, “real” portrait seems to have been inserted into a new picture.

Thomas Sully. Portrait of George Washington. 1842

In general, if you have a chance to compare two portraits of the same person, then the more beautiful, advantageous, memorable one will most likely be posthumous, since its author will be inspired by the historical importance of the person, and this talented artist most likely they were hired specifically for this order, they were looking for it. But an ordinary portrait depicting a contemporary will simply depict a “person”, and it was written not by a specially hired genius, but simply by any author who worked in that area in those years.

1) Giotto. "Portrait of Dante" (fresco fragment), ca. 1335 (20 years after the poet’s death)
2) Botticelli. "Portrait of Dante", 1495

So let's get to the game! Which of these paintings was painted from life, a living person posing, and which - after his death, based on an ennobled old painting?

1. Portrait of Lorenzo de' Medici the Magnificent (years of life 1449-1492)

3. Portrait of Queen Isabella of Portugal (1503-1539)

Correct answers under the cut:

1. Portrait of Lorenzo de' Medici the Old (1449-1492)
A) Posthumous. Hood. G. Vasari, 1533-4
b) Hood. Ghirlandaio. Detail of a fresco in the Sassetti Chapel, c. 1485

2. Portrait of the poet Shelley (1792-1822)
a) A. Clint from the original of 1819
b) Posthumous. Hood. Joseph Severn, 1845

3. Portrait of Queen Isabella of Portugal(1503-1539)
A) Posthumous. Hood. Titian, 1548
b) Hood. William Scrots. 1530s

4. Portrait of the artist Frédéric Bazille (1841-1870)
a) Self-portrait. OK. 1867.
b) Posthumous. Hood. Renoir. 1885

How did it work out? What thoughts arose during the analysis? Please share, it’s very interesting for me to try to understand whether I’m stating it correctly.

In general, aren't the tasks too easy? And the explanations at the beginning, am I going into too much detail, maybe I should leave more intrigue? or what, normal?

Killer Canvases

Alfred Higgins was 47 years old. He was one of the fifty richest people in the world. He had beautiful wife and cute twin daughters. In the summer of 1996, Alfred commissioned a painting of him and his wife standing on the deck of their favorite yacht. The picture turned out to be colorful, but soon after finishing work on it, Alfred suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage. A week later, his wife was hospitalized with an attack of acute psychosis, and she soon died.

The Higgins couple died because Mark Quinn painted them. They said that the artist sold his soul to the devil - all the people depicted in the paintings died soon after posing. The Higginses were the first. The artist does not give interviews, does not comment tragic fates their models. He periodically calls one or another wealthy person, whose face often appears in the newspapers: “You know, I’m planning to take your portrait...” And the mortally frightened millionaire pays a tidy sum just so that he doesn’t do it...

A portrait can change a person's fate, both good and bad. good side. Historians tend to focus on tragic cases, because they are easier to fix, although others are known.

From the dossier "S.G."

Historians know of many cases where people depicted in portraits died a premature or violent death.

Leonardo da Vinci agreed to paint for the Florentine citizen, Messire Francesco del Giocondo, a portrait of his wife Mona Lisa. Then she was 24 years old, she was immensely beautiful... Leonardo worked on the portrait for four years, but did not have time to complete it. In the small remote town of Langonero, Mona Lisa Gioconda died.

The great Rembrandt's wife, Saskia (she was the model for his "Danae" and "Flora"), died at the age of thirty. Rembrandt painted a portrait of his children - three died in infancy, the fourth at 27 years old. Rembrandt's second wife, Hendricke Stoffelds, depicted in many paintings, also did not live long.

Healing Canvases

Five-year-old Liza Kiseleva hit her knee. An x-ray revealed a bone fracture and a plaster cast was applied. The bone healed quickly. But soon Lisa again complained of pain in her leg... And again examinations, tears, pleas, uncertainty. In the fall, instead of going to school, Lisa entered the cancer center - lung cancer, multiple metastases that leave no hope.

The parents, having come to terms with their grief, asked an artist they knew to paint a portrait of their daughter. Portray her as she was before her illness - with curly bright red hair, shiny blue eyes and rosy cheeks. As a keepsake... The portrait turned out as if it were alive. A month later, doctors were surprised to discover that the tumor had stopped growing. Now Lisa is in the sixth grade - red-haired, blue-eyed, ruddy. Doctors called her recovery a miracle. And the parents are sure: the reason is in the portrait - it’s as if he forced Lisa to become like himself.

From the dossier "S.G."

Several examples of how portraits had a beneficial effect on the fate of the people depicted in them.

To the Italian painter Raphael Santi for the famous Sistine Madonna and some other paintings, the daughter of a poor baker, Margarita Luti, nicknamed Fornarina (translated as baker), posed. After this, her fate turned out unexpectedly well for a representative of the poor class - she married a rich nobleman and lived a long, happy life.

The model for Rubens' magnificent Madonnas was his wife, the beautiful Elena Fourment. He continuously painted her portraits and as the heroine of many mythological stories- she became more and more beautiful, gave birth to many healthy children. She outlived her husband by a lot.

Experts' opinion

Art critic Natalya Sinelnikova, candidate of art history:

Yes, those who are closely connected with the world of art know well: creative communication with the artist does not pass without a trace for the person being portrayed. Why?

A true artist, when creating a picture, puts his soul into it and imbues it with enormous energy. At this time, he is sure to be fueled by something - from a bar of chocolate to cosmic energy, whatever he can. Apparently, the influence of the creator on the people around him depends on the degree of this “connection to the power source.” Some artists are distinguished by colossal energy - they splash it out on the picture, and at the same time on their sitters, family and loved ones. Such was, for example, Rubens, next to whom all women flourished. Other artists, on the contrary, are like a sponge - they suck the energy from those around them in order to give it to the painting, so models and family members waste away right before our eyes, as was the case, for example, with Picasso. The mechanisms of such vampirism are unknown to us...

But this does not happen with artisans who paint those who want to in crowded squares - they do not put their soul into the image. A portrait that truly possesses internal energy, is different from the others - you look into his eyes and feel: just a moment more, and you will find yourself through the looking glass, behind the picture...

Head of the Astra Design Bureau at the Moscow Aviation Institute and the Kosmopoisk association Vadim Chernobrov:

Scientists have worked on the mystery of “fateful paintings” different countries. In the New and Alte Pinakothek in Munich, in the Louvre in Paris, in art galleries Brussels were installed special devices, recording viewers' eye movements and time spent in front of the painting. Researchers have discovered that in a number of paintings there is clearly a certain energy, a soul. Using thermography, it was recorded: in a state of creative ecstasy, the artist’s brain receives great amount energy - he develops an altered state of consciousness.

At this time, the electroencephalogram shows special slow waves, characteristic of the active work of the subconscious, which do not occur in ordinary person. It is in this state that the artist is able to create a miracle.

At the same time, in a number of cases it was noted that when the artist’s energy increases, the sitter’s brain biopotentials sharply decrease. The artist “burns” his model and feeds on its energy.

At the same time, in some workshops, measurements showed that models’ brain biopotentials increased while posing. Apparently, in these cases, artists, on the contrary, give energy to those around them.

As a result of research, it was proven that the model is influenced by the creative energy of the artist and in most cases this is dangerous for the life of the person being portrayed. Moreover, a sad fact has been noted: when a person who is not close to him poses for an artist, he spends (and therefore vampirizes) less energy than when he paints his own children or wife.

Professional models, who pose for dozens of sketchers every day, usually do not suffer from their work - they do not “allow the artist into their soul.”

In any case, you should be very careful about posing. It is not without reason that people gifted with high sensitivity, such as Vanga, Edgar Cayce and others, refused artists’ offers.

She posed and was healed

At the beginning of the 20th century, eighteen-year-old Elena Dyakova came from Russia to be treated at a tuberculosis clinic in Switzerland. However, eminent doctors believed that it was no longer possible to help her. Meanwhile, Elena met the aspiring artist and poet Paul Eluard - he painted a lot of a thin, consumptive girl, and her illness subsided a little. Then Elena became friends with the surrealist Max Ernst, who also painted her. The doctors were amazed - a woman who should have died a long time ago was feeling quite well... At the age of forty, she married Salvador Dali, becoming a famous Gala. Dali painted his wife almost every day - young and beautiful, without wrinkles or gray hair. She died at the age of 88.

Death and life

Edgar Poe's story "Death and Life" tells the story of an artist who painted his wife. The story begins with the words: “She was a maiden of rare beauty...”, and ends with the artist putting last point in the portrait and exclaims admiringly: “But this is life itself!”, then turns his gaze to his wife, and she is dead.

The Picture of Dorian Grey

The relationship between the portrait and the prototype is described in Oscar Wilde’s parable novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” - divine beauty the young man depicted on the canvas turned into a vile old man as his prototype, Dorian, decayed spiritually. “A portrait is like a conscience...” writes Wilde.

Reminiscent, twin, copy, portrait, double, similar Dictionary of Russian synonyms. living portrait noun, number of synonyms: 6 twin (10) ... Synonym dictionary

Living portrait- whom. Razg. Express Someone is very similar to someone else. You are a living portrait of your late brother: I would recognize you on the street (Goncharov. An ordinary story) … Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language

Cm … Synonym dictionary

alive- A living portrait of someone, completely similar to someone. He is simply a living portrait of his father. Living place (colloquial obsolete) busy place, a position performed by some other person. face. He sat down on living place. There is no living place or not... ...

ALIVE, oh, oh; alive, alive, alive. 1. The one who lives has life. Creature. The old man is still alive. Fresh flowers (not artificial). Live nature. Hedge (made of plants). The memory of the past is alive (translated). I don’t care about fat, I wish I was alive (last) ... Dictionary Ozhegova

portrait- A living portrait of someone, completely similar to someone. He is simply a living portrait of his father... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language

portrait- a, m. portrait m. 1. A pictorial, photographic or other image of something. person. BAS 1. Send my portrait that More painted and another that the Frenchman Nattier painted... in order to do a few of them here with tapicerean work. 2.5.1717.… … Historical Dictionary Gallicisms of the Russian language

- “PORTRAIT”, youthful verse. L. (1831) in the genre of “inscriptions for a portrait,” which was quite common in poetry of the 18th century, but retained its significance in the 1st third of the 19th century. (A. S. Pushkin, K. F. Ryleev, etc.). “Inscriptions” usually did not mean real portraits,... ... Lermontov Encyclopedia

Sandro Botticelli. "Portrait of a young man with a medal of Cosimo de' Medici." 1470 1477. Uffizi, Florence Portrait of an Italian ... Wikipedia

- (French portrait, from the obsolete portraire to depict) an image or description (for example, in literature) of a person or group of people who exist or have existed in reality. IN fine arts P.… … Big Soviet encyclopedia

Books

• Emotional Portrait, Paul Leveille. This manual describes in detail how to most accurately capture the mood and character of the person being depicted and convey it in a lively, expressive manner. Paul Leveille...
• Portrait of Rajiv Gandhi, Verma Sh.. The author of the book, who worked with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for a number of years, tells in a lively and relaxed manner how, after the brutal assassination of Indira Gandhi, taking...