Recollection of classical works done at the time the ancient House of Hightower rose to power not only in Oldtown but also in King's Landing, as the daughter of the then Hand of The King, Otto Hightower, ascended as Queen Alicent due to her marriage to King Viserys I Targaryen.
We first have to mention the painting done of diverse masters, all patronize by influent figures of House Hightower, the collection includes frescos of religious scenes of the Seven Faith in diverse Septs around Oldtown and King's Landing, along with sculptures and portraits, commissioned and concluded during King Viserys I Targaryen and King Aegon II Targaryen reigns. The infamous gold sculptures of Princes Aemond and Daeron, however, are lost forever, only written registers are the surviving of it's grandeur.
Ladies of the Hightower
The early paintings of Hightower Ladies and Daughters were often commissioned to show the women's beauty, wealth and to represent religious settings. Lady Alerie Florent portraits are well known and remembered, as she was Queen Alicent's Hightower mother and the only woman married to Otto Hightower, a very devoted husband, who had a portraits of her in his office and chambers (one and two, left, up to down), other portraits show diverse settings and activities most related to reading and praying, along the beautiful fresco found in one of Oldtown's Septs, depicting the Hightower House members at the time Queen Alicent had her first born son, the then Prince Aegon.
Queen Alicent Hightower and The Color Green
One of Queen Alicent's most well known portraits is the infamous "Lady with an Ermine", showing her young beauty and possession by the then King, Viserys I Targaryen, represented by the white ermine, with it's dragon face, quite masculine body and alert pose (first collection, left to right, up to down, middle portrait). Most of her portraits (first collection, left to right, up to down, middle and forward) also show her in religious representations as The Mother, along with her children, Prince Aegon, Princess Helaena, Prince Aemond and Prince Daeron, often depicted as a baby or a young child. When her daughter, Princess Helaena became Queen, King Aegon I commissioned portraits of her (first collection, left to right, up to down, portraits one and two), always shown with serene face with beautiful clothes and jewelry, trying to make justice to her ethereal presence and, as Targaryens used to say, her Dragon Dreams (debated).
The color green, as shown in the second collection, though the color of House Hightower, only became a symbol shown in their clothes, objects and accessories when the Queen's faction was first created, after the wedding of Princess Rhaenyra, when Queen Alicent appeared first in a green dress, her family and House promptly adopted the color as a main theme, especially the women, all dressed and painted in green to show their support for the daughter and Queen of their House.
Lords, Sers and the Ideal Man
The men of House Hightower often have commissioned a younger and older portraits to show themselves and how they turned out. Otto Hightower's first and second portrait, left to right, up to down, show him as father of the Queen, and at the beginning of his service to King Jaehaerys I Targaryen (second portrait). His brother, Lord Hobert, also have the same type of portraits, shown in the middle of the collection.
However, who steals the scene is Gwayne Hightower, brother of Queen Alicent Hightower. Shown in the third panel of the collection, Gwayne portrayals were done to show the devoted man, the ideal man. The gentle face, the curls and heart-shaped pupils talk about beauty and form, describing the gentle and Ideal man type, it's also believed that the statue represents the contrast between gentleness and bravery, a dedication to The Warrior. The sculpture was restored in later times, believed to be lost for a long time, buried in the remains of the Dragon Pit, a remembrance of a turbulent past and painful memories, but also of the glory of House Hightower and it's influence in arts and religion, his portrait, only one surviving to this day, was found in a deplorable condition at a chamber in the Red Keep, a painstaking and hard work was done to restore and conserve it.
Children and Blessings
Nothing screams prosperity more than children, the beautiful and lovely paintings of the Hightower and Targaryen children have show us emotion, purity and love.
Many paintings depict the children of Queen Alicent, be it with only one of her children, as Prince Aegon posing alone, or him with his brother, Prince Aemond, in the well-known "Princes in the Tower", or even depictions of both Princes and their sister, Princess Helaena, painted in another religious set. While for House Hightower, the paintings of children represented successfulness, the duty and the wealth, as often seen at the third panel of the collection.
But nothing can be as heart breaking as the small depiction of Prince Jaehaerys and Princess Jaehaera Targaryen, children of King Aegon I Targaryen and Queen Helaena, it was concluded posthumously, after the tragic death of Prince Jaehaerys, leaving his parents and relatives devastated, the painting is often used to talk about the bloody fight during the Dance of the Dragons, expressing the sad and violent outcome.
