The Florentine is a dialogue between old thorough workings of the past and the disposable yet playful
immediacy of the 21st century translated through its painterly technique.
The profile is inspired by Piero della Francesca's diptych of the duke and duchess of Urbino, the cut out
portraits from the 15th Century, which reference ancient roman coins. Usually the profile in roman
coins faced right and it was unusual for a traditional portrait to face left during the 15th century, and I
wanted to site that time in history.
There is a contrast between the two dimensionality of the clothing against the sculptural realistic face,
The bright 2d nature represents the technology and immediacy of the modern world in contrast to the
sculptural feel of the portraits - as Italian portraiture of the 15C was influenced by a Flemish approach,
confirming the realist tradition based on ancient sculpture.
