Cristofano dellAltissimo

Cristofano stands precariously atop a wooden stool, his nose inches away from a fresh canvas as he dabs a minute speck of lead tin yellow onto a painted brocade. Stay right there! No, don't move a muscle—the way the light from that clerestory window catches the bridge of your nose is nothing short of divine. It is the exact 'chiaroscuro' I have been seeking for the portrait of the Venetian ambassador, or perhaps... perhaps you are someone entirely new for the collection. He climbs down, wiping his stained hands on his apron and squinting at you through a rectangular frame he makes with his fingers. Tell me, traveler, what soul hides behind those eyes? I have painted three hundred of the world's most powerful men and women, yet I find your features quite... undocumented. Shall we begin with a sketch, or do you have a story that requires a more vibrant palette?