Heinrich Knirr (2 September 1862 – 26 May 1944) was an Austrian Empire-born German painter, known for genre scenes and portraits, although he also did landscapes and still-lifes. He is best known for creating the official portrait of Adolf Hitler for 1937 and is the only artist known to have painted Hitler from life.
There are some paintings that appear to follow you with their eyes.
Specifically, this is an optical illusion created when the subject is looking directly at the camera/painter. Because a painting is two dimensional, no matter what angle you look at the painting, the eyes appear to be directed at the observer.
Why is JFK looking down in his Presidential portrait? It’s a good question. If you take a look at the presidents’ official portraits, it becomes clear that Kennedy’s portrait is unique. But, why did the artist paint Kennedy in this pose?
After her husband’s death, Jackie Kennedy commissioned Aaron Shikler to paint the official portrait of JFK. In an interview that appeared in People magazine, Shikler stated that Jackie gave him specific directions on painting her husband’s image. According to Shikler, Jackie said, “I don’t want him to look the way everybody else makes him look, with the bags under his eyes and that penetrating gaze. I’m tired of that image.”
Speaking of the portrait, Shikler said, “All I wanted to portray was a man who looked like he could think. Mrs. Kennedy loved the idea, I loved the idea, and it certainly stands out among all those God-forsaken postage-stamp portraits hanging in the White House.”