Giovanni Battista cel Tânăr Lampi

Lampi had a habit of painting heads so lifelike you’d swear the subjects just stepped out of the room. He once showed up to a sitting with his pockets full of coins, tossing them in the air so a nervous prince would forget to frown. Look for his portrait of Empress Catherine II of Russia—she’s all powdered curls and sharp eyes, exactly like the woman who really ran a continent. If you like that one, tap to see how he painted Venus holding a toddler Cupid with the same direct gaze.