Portret van chirurg Marco Aurelio Severino 1597 - 1649

Camillo Cungi created this detailed portrait of surgeon Marco Aurelio Severino as an engraving. The subject is encased in an oval frame, immediately drawing our attention to the texture and line work. Notice how the detailed lines create depth, texture and volume, capturing the essence of the sitter and giving a sense of three-dimensionality to the face and clothing. The linear execution here is not just representational, but functional, structuring the portrait's underlying form. The composition emphasizes the subject’s face, with his gaze directed towards the viewer, suggesting direct engagement. The use of elaborate ornamentation around the portrait, with symbolic elements, creates a dialogue between the sitter and his intellectual and social context, and the text inscribed at the bottom further emphasizes the connection between virtue and craft, highlighting the sitter's professional and moral standing. Ultimately, this engraving exemplifies how formal artistic strategies intersect with cultural values, immortalizing Severino not merely as an individual but as a figure of virtue and skill within his era.