The Hand in Art: Clinodactyly in Renaissance Paintings

Abstract

Renaissance painter Jean Clouet (1480-1541), a native of the Low Countries, worked in the French court of Francis I from 1516 onward. It is surprising that his works were forgotten for over 300 years. In the 19th century, the 'conservateur au Louvre', Comte Leon de Laborde, was the first to distinguish between Jean Clouet and his son, the painter François Clouet (1510e1572). Previously, father and son were referred to under the single name "Janet," a nickname given to Jean Clouet in the latter part of his career and passed on to François, along with his possessions and title at the time of his death. Throughout the 16th century, the Clouets portrayed major figures at the Valois court, including the sovereigns. Both artists received credit for their apparent ability to represent the portrayed subjects realistically. These creations were indeed remarkable in their details. The visible hand deformities in the portraits painted by Jean and François Clouet raised our interest.