A look into the world of hidden Renaissance portraits: ‘It’s very playful’

Installation image of Hidden Faces. Photo: Eileen Travell

During the Renaissance in Europe, a remarkable genre of portrait art became known and flourished: that of the so-called hidden portrait. Generally, these portraits were supplemented with a cover that fit over the portrait or a front on the back of the portrait, containing puzzle-like clues, symbols, or a secondary portrait that enhanced the depth of the main work. A new exhibition at the Met unites dozens of these likenesses with their covers to offer a fascinating look at a largely lost art.

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