Nottara was painted by Mihail Tacorian in 950.

Where can I see Nottara?

Nottara is held by Bucharest Municipality Museum.

Artwork

Nottara

Nottara is an unspecified painting by Mihail Tacorian. It dates from 950 and is held in the collection of the Bucharest Municipality Museum.

About this work

Overview

Nottara, attributed to Mihail Tacorian and dated to around 950, is a modestly sized portrait rendered in a flat, graphic manner. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as an example of early illustrative portraiture. Its composition centers on a single figure, presented against a plain background.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a man dressed in a suit and tie, his rounded face framed by bold eyebrows and a thick moustache. The expression is serious, with the mouth slightly ajar, suggesting a moment of contemplation or speech. The attire and demeanor imply a figure of some social standing, though no specific identity is recorded.

Technique & Style

Tacorian employs clear, strong outlines that define the figure’s silhouette, while large, unmodulated color fields fill the shapes. The palette is limited to pale yellow for the shirt, black for the tie, and muted pinks and blues for the facial features. This approach resembles a sketch or early graphic illustration, emphasizing line over modeling.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑10th century, Nottara entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through an acquisition whose details remain undocumented. Its survival through more than a millennium suggests it was valued as a cultural artifact, likely preserved within a private or institutional collection before its museum accession.

Context

The work belongs to a period when portraiture was often functional, serving as a record of individuals rather than an exploration of psychological depth. The flat, outline‑driven style aligns with contemporaneous visual traditions that prioritized recognizability and symbolic representation over realistic rendering.