Hidden Faces: Covered Portraits of the Renaissance

Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)
1000 Fifth Avenue
This exhibition is the first to examine an intriguing but largely unknown side—in the literal sense—of Renaissance painting: multisided portraits in which the sitter’s likeness was concealed by a hinged or sliding cover, within a box, or by a dual-fa... more
This exhibition is the first to examine an intriguing but largely unknown side—in the literal sense—of Renaissance painting: multisided portraits in which the sitter’s likeness was concealed by a hinged or sliding cover, within a box, or by a dual-faced format. The covers and reverses of these small, private portraits were adorned with puzzlelike emblems, epigrams, allegories, and mythologies that celebrated the sitter’s character, and they represent some of the most inventive and unique secular imagery of the Renaissance. The viewer had to decode the meaning of the symbolic portrait before lifting, sliding, or turning the image over to unmask the face below.This widespread tradition in Italy and Northern Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries will be explored through approximately 60 double-sided and covered portraits from The Met collection and other American and European institutions, including the reunion of several portraits and their covers that had been split and made part of separate collections. Painted by artists such as Hans Memling, Lucas Cranach, Lorenzo Lotto, and Titian, the works range from portraits intended as portable propaganda to those designed to conceal a ... more
This exhibition is the first to examine an intriguing but largely unknown side—in the literal sense—of Renaissance painting: multisided portraits in which the sitter’s likeness was concealed by a hinged or sliding cover, within a box, or by a dual-faced format. The covers and reverses of these small, private portraits were adorned with puzzlelike emblems, epigrams, allegories, and mythologies that celebrated the sitter’s character, and they represent some of the most inventive and unique secular imagery of the Renaissance. The viewer had to decode the meaning of the symbolic portrait before lifting, sliding, or turning the image over to unmask the face below.

This widespread tradition in Italy and Northern Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries will be explored through approximately 60 double-sided and covered portraits from The Met collection and other American and European institutions, including the reunion of several portraits and their covers that had been split and made part of separate collections. Painted by artists such as Hans Memling, Lucas Cranach, Lorenzo Lotto, and Titian, the works range from portraits intended as portable propaganda to those designed to conceal a lover's identity. These varied three-dimensional, hand-held ensembles shed significant light upon the intimate and personal nature of portraits designed as interactive objects.

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Hidden Faces: Covered Portraits of the Renaissance

Wed, May 08
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Thu, May 09
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Fri, May 10
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Sat, May 11
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Sun, May 12
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Mon, May 13
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Tue, May 14
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Wed, May 15
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Thu, May 16
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Fri, May 17
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Sat, May 18
10:00AM
$
For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay as you wish. Please be as generous as you can.

Visitors from outside of NY State:
$30 for adults,
$22 for seniors
$17 for students.
Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.

All admission tickets include exhibitions and same-day entry to both Met locations.
Get Tickets
Occurs 50 more times through Jul 07

Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)

1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028
(212) 535-7710
Website

Schedule

May 8, Wed 10:00AM - 5:00PM
May 9, Thu 10:00AM - 5:00PM
May 10, Fri 10:00AM - 5:00PM
May 11, Sat 10:00AM - 5:00PM
See complete schedule

Admission From

$30

Category

Arts

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