Series: Outlaws , (mugshots reimagined) Outlaw Medici Painting

I was inspired by renaissance portraits of women, in particular a portrait of Maria Medici. At that time only people who were rich and powerful could afford to commission a painting. Today and since the advent of photography virtually everyone has some kind of portrait of themselves. The sheer ubiquity of photographs in a sense devalues the photograph and an oil painting a portrait like this adds value, confers status to the subject. The title of this painting is Outlaw Medici,the painting combines elements from various sources, more specifically the body of Maria Medici, the face of a young woman who had her mugshot published online. She was arrested and her mugshot was published before she went to trial. In the laws of the land she is innocent. I hope the viewer will look at the painting and not see a criminal but an individual.