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'How Bellini paints the idea of a leader' [F2]

'How Bellini paints the idea of a leader' [F2] Image: National Gallery, London

Artist Tai Shan Schierenberg takes a closer look at Giovanni Bellini’s portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan. [F1] The film runs for 9:25. [F2]

Schierenberg’s film argues that Bellini’s portrait was unlike anything that came before it and remains captivating 500 years later. [F3]

The doge turns slightly away, with his body separated from the viewer by a red marble ledge, while a vivid ultramarine background creates a striking contrast. [F4]

Bellini combines sharply defined details with blurred edges to create an otherworldly effect and demonstrate his mastery of oil painting. [F5]

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Museum

Norton Simon Museum to Present Manet’s ‘The Execution of Maximilian’ on Loan from London’s National Gallery

Read full story London · 1 Sept 2026 [REPORT]

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'How Bellini paints the idea of a leader' [F2]

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