What is a Tronie?

A tronie is similar to a portrait in the sense that the subject is human and often painted or drawn to depict a specific individual with their unique qualities. However, the similarities end there, as portraits were almost always commissioned by a wealthy patron with very specific outcomes in mind. A successful business man of the Renaissance, for example, might hire a portraitist to immortalize him and simultaneously show off the fact that he was a pretty important man. To do this, the painter might have to include certain things in the painting, like expensive clothing, accessories or furniture. The artist might also be obliged to exaggerate in terms of the patrons physical features and personal demeanor to reach the desired effect that the patron has payed for. A little straightening of the nose, widening of the eyes, smoothing of the skin...

A tronie, from the 17th century Dutch word for "face", was a portrait, not of a famous, wealthy or powerful member of society, rather, often a person, who for whatever reason, has caught the attention and imagination of the artist. Old, young, beautiful, plain, light, dark, happy, sad, tormented... a tronie is a portrait of a real person, whether acting a part or sitting as themselves, captured in a moment that the painter felt worthy of immortalizing.

Many works considered tronies are self-portraits; Rembrandt did many, Johannes Vermeer and Frans Hals as well, self-portraits and tronies of unidentified sitters, and ultimately, untitled portraits.
What is enjoyable in these untitled works, for me, is the fact that there is no story to go with the painting, no gossip or predisposed prejudice or admiration for the subject. When you are admiring a tronie, at least one that is not a well-known artists self-portrait, your imagination is forced to start fresh and becomes the spring-board that propels you toward how you feel when you look at the painting or drawing... the individuality of the subject washes over the the viewer to remind us that beauty is not always beautiful or perfect, sometimes it is ugly, cruel, comical or pitiful. Sometimes beauty is human.

Below are some tronies that I have chose for you to look at... real, human, much more timeless than a Queen or a King or wealthy business man...

The Vermeer 3 stops down is very famous, now referred to as The Girl with the Pearl Earring, a movie has been made based on the book of the same name by Tracey Chevalier, is a novel inspired by the painting and imagined completely from the painting. I think all of these tronies could spark the imagination with little effort, each face telling a unique story to each individual viewer. I think that is what any good art does in the end... it tells a thousand unique stories, a million, and reminds us that we all count, not just those blessed or cursed with fame, money and power.

Jan van de Venne (ca. 1616-1651)

Johannes Vermeer (ca. 1665)

Jan Lievens (1629)

Rembrandt van Rijn (ca. 1606-1609)

Bevin Ann (2012)