Charles V, bust length, holding a sword, facing right 1535 - 1545

This is Giovanni Britto’s print of Charles V, bust length, holding a sword, facing right. It’s currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was made between 1531 and 1550. Here, the engraving’s formal elements work to portray Charles V as an imposing figure. The composition is dominated by a dense network of lines, creating a rich texture that defines the subject's armour and facial features. Britto employs the sword to bisect the pictorial space. This division serves to both highlight the central figure of Charles V and create a dynamic tension within the composition. The use of contrasting light and shadow enhances the three-dimensionality of the portrait. This technique invites viewers to consider how power is constructed through visual representation. Britto's print goes beyond mere depiction, instead presenting a carefully constructed image of authority and power, ripe for deconstruction and interpretation.