_School_-_Portrait_of_a_Woman_of_the_Hofer_Family_-_NG722_-_National_Gallery.jpg)
Subject to various interpretations by art historians, as Boing Boing informs, the “painted fly” was a somewhat of a viral meme in early Renaissance paintings on Europe. Ranging from an emblem of mastery, an in-joke, a symbol of the worthiness and dignity even in small pests to secularise the subject and conversely a symbol of sin, corruption and mortality—included as a form of apotropaic magic, the detailed fly as a conspicuous element features in over twenty extant works from various artists in the Low Countries, Germany and Italy. The pictured Portrait of a Woman of the Hofer Family by an unknown artist (the identity of the sitter is also lost to time) dates from circa 1470 from the Swabian region and currently resides in London’s National Gallery, acquired by Prince Albert and gifted to Queen Victoria in 1863. The fad seems to have ended around 1510.
synchronoptica
one year ago: asymmetrical appeasement (with synchronoptica) plus assorted links to revisit
two years ago: a history of Elvis-officiated weddings
three years ago: sculptor Vinnie Ream plus more links to enjoy
four years ago: Eilean Donan plus the palace of Linlithgow
five years ago: your daily demon, more links, a minor supervillain plus a Yugoslav space opera
six years ago: artist Lรฉon Spilliaert, cartoonist R Sikoryak, even more links plus advances in fusion technology
