Snap, Snap.

Today, we take thousands of photos that often end up buried in a cloud drive and forgotten. In the 1500s, a single painting was likely the only record that you ever existed. If that canvas burned or was lost, your physical face vanished from history forever.

To get a portrait from a master like Leonardo, you didn’t just "smile for the camera." You would have to sit still for hours, over many days or even months. It wasn't just the artist's fee; it was the cost of the ground pigments (like lapis lazuli for blue or gold leaf), the wooden panel or canvas, and the studio space.

Because this was your only image, the pressure for it to be perfect was immense. Artists like Leonardo didn't just paint what they saw; they painted the ideal version of you. They would smooth out skin, adjust the nose, and ensure your clothing—velvets, furs, and silks—looked impossibly expensive. It was branding, not just art.

Portraits were often used as a way to "meet" someone before seeing them in person. Kings and queens would send a portrait of their child to a foreign court to see if a marriage was viable. There were famous cases where the artist "over-beautified" the subject, leading to some very awkward (and angry) first meetings when the actual person arrived at the altar.

When you look at a Renaissance portrait, you aren't just looking at a person; you're looking at their legacy.

If you were to choose just one image to represent your entire life to people 500 years from now, which one would you choose. Next time you get happy snappy with your phone think twice.