ille enim volens placere illi qui se adsumpsit elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret

who, perhaps in his eagerness to please his ruler, used all his skill to depict him in the most favorable way;

For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skillfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

An artist might want to please some ruler, and so he would use his skill to make the likeness better looking than the actual person.

For he willing (or desiring) more to please the king, that took him, that is, chose him to make an image to (or of) the king, travailed perfectly by his craft, to make a likeness into better, that is, in making the king (appear) fairer. [He forsooth willing more to please to him, that him took, travailed out by his craft, that the likeness into better he should figure.]

For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skillfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

Perhaps out of a desire to please the person in power, the artist makes the most of his artistic skill to fashion an even more beautiful and perfect image.

For he, perhaps in his determination to please the ruler, labored over the likeness to the best of his skill;

For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,