A portrait is a
painting,
photograph
A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now create ...
,
sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,
personality, and even the mood of the person. For this reason, in photography a portrait is generally not a
snapshot
Snapshot, snapshots or snap shot may refer to:
* Snapshot (photography), a photograph taken without preparation
Computing
* Snapshot (computer storage), the state of a system at a particular point in time
* Snapshot (file format) or SNP, a file ...
, but a composed image of a person in a still position. A portrait often shows a person looking directly at the painter or photographer, in order to most successfully engage the subject with the viewer.
History
Prehistorical portraiture
Plastered human skulls were reconstructed human skulls that were made in the ancient
Levant between 9000 and 6000 BC in the
Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period. They represent some of the oldest forms of art in the
Middle East and demonstrate that the prehistoric population took great care in burying their
ancestors below their homes. The skulls denote some of the earliest sculptural examples of portraiture in the
history of art.
Historical portraiture
![Fayum02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Fayum02.jpg)
Most early representations that are clearly intended to show an individual are of rulers, and tend to follow idealizing artistic conventions, rather than the individual features of the subject's body, though when there is no other evidence as to the ruler's appearance the degree of idealization can be hard to assess. Nonetheless, many subjects, such as
Akhenaten and some other Egyptian
pharaohs, can be recognised by their distinctive features. The 28 surviving rather small
statues of Gudea
Approximately twenty-seven statues of Gudea, a ruler ( ensi) of the state of Lagash have been found in southern Mesopotamia. Gudea ruled between c. 2144–2124 BC and the statues demonstrate a very sophisticated level of craftsmanship for the ...
, ruler of
Lagash in
Sumeria between c. 2144–2124 BC, show a consistent appearance with some individuality, although it is sometimes disputed that these count as portraits.
Some of the earliest surviving painted portraits of people who were not rulers are the Greco-Roman
funeral portraits that survived in the dry climate of Egypt's
Fayum district. These are almost the only paintings from the classical world that have survived, apart from
fresco
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
s, though many sculptures and portraits on coins have fared better. Although the appearance of the figures differs considerably, they are considerably idealized, and all show relatively young people, making it uncertain whether they were painted from life.
The art of the portrait flourished in Ancient Greek and especially
Roman sculpture, where sitters demanded individualized and realistic portraits, even unflattering ones. During the 4th century, the portrait began to retreat in favor of an idealized symbol of what that person looked like. (Compare the portraits of Roman Emperors
Constantine I
Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterranea ...
and
Theodosius I at their entries.) In the
Europe of the
Early Middle Ages representations of individuals are mostly generalized. True portraits of the outward appearance of individuals re-emerged in the late
Middle Ages, in
tomb monument
Funerary art is any work of art forming, or placed in, a repository for the remains of the dead. The term encompasses a wide variety of forms, including cenotaphs ("empty tombs"), tomb-like monuments which do not contain human remains, and comm ...
s,
donor portrait
A donor portrait or votive portrait is a portrait in a larger painting or other work showing the person who commissioned and paid for the image, or a member of his, or (much more rarely) her, family. ''Donor portrait'' usually refers to the portr ...
s, miniatures in
illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is often supplemented with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Church for prayers, liturgical services and psalms, the ...
s and then
panel paintings.
Moche culture of Peru was one of the few ancient civilizations which produced portraits. These works accurately represent anatomical features in great detail. The individuals portrayed would have been recognizable without the need for other symbols or a written reference to their names. The individuals portrayed were members of the ruling elite, priests, warriors and even distinguished artisans. They were represented during several stages of their lives. The faces of gods were also depicted. To date, no portraits of women have been found. There is particular emphasis on the representation of the details of headdresses, hairstyles, body adornment and face painting.
One of the best-known portraits in the Western world is
Leonardo da Vinci's painting titled ''
Mona Lisa'', which is a painting of
Lisa del Giocondo
Lisa del Giocondo (; ; June 15, 1479 – July 15, 1542) was an Italian noblewoman and member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany. Her name was given to the ''Mona Lisa'', her portrait commissioned by her husband and painted by Le ...
. What has been claimed as the world's oldest known portrait was found in 2006 in the
Vilhonneur
Vilhonneur (; oc, Vilonor) is a former commune in the Charente department in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Moulins-sur-Tardoire.Angoulême
Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a communes of France, commune, the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Charente Departments of France, department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern Franc ...
and is thought to be 27,000 years old.
Self-portraiture
![Maria Razumovskaya by Vigée-Lebrun](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Maria_Razumovskaya_by_Vig%C3%A9e-Lebrun.jpg)
When the artist creates a portrait of themself, it is called a ''self-portrait''. Identifiable examples become numerous in the late Middle Ages. But if the definition is extended, the first was by the
Egyptian
Pharaoh Akhenaten's sculptor Bak, who carved a representation of himself and his wife Taheri c. 1365 BC. However, it seems likely that self-portraits go back to the
cave paintings, the earliest representational art, and literature records several classical examples that are now lost.
Official portrait
![Reproduction-of-the-1805-Rembrandt-Peale-painting-of-Thomas-Jefferson-New-York-Historical-Society 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Reproduction-of-the-1805-Rembrandt-Peale-painting-of-Thomas-Jefferson-New-York-Historical-Society_1.jpg)
The official portrait is a photographic production of record and dissemination of important personalities, notably kings, presidents and governors. It is usually decorated with official colors and symbols such as
flag
A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design empl ...
, presidential stripes and
coat of arms of countries, states or municipalities. There is also connotation as an image of events, products and meetings.
Portrait photography
Portrait photography is a popular commercial industry all over the world. Many people enjoy having professionally made ''family portraits'' to hang in their homes, or special portraits to commemorate certain events, such as graduations or weddings.
Since the dawn of photography, people have made portraits. The popularity of the
daguerreotype
Daguerreotype (; french: daguerréotype) was the first publicly available photographic process; it was widely used during the 1840s and 1850s. "Daguerreotype" also refers to an image created through this process.
Invented by Louis Daguerre an ...
in the middle of the 19th century was due in large part to the demand for inexpensive portraiture. Studios sprang up in cities around the world, some cranking out more than 500 plates a day. The style of these early works reflected the technical challenges associated with 30-second exposure times and the
painterly
Painterliness is a concept based on ''german: malerisch'' ('painterly'), a word popularized by Swiss art historian Heinrich Wölfflin (1864–1945) to help focus, enrich and standardize the terms being used by art historians of his time to cha ...
aesthetic of the time. Subjects were generally seated against plain backgrounds and lit with the soft light of an overhead window and whatever else could be reflected with mirrors.
As photographic techniques developed, an intrepid group of photographers took their talents out of the studio and onto battlefields, across oceans and into remote wilderness.
William Shew
William Shew (1820–1903) was a prominent American photographer in the 19th century. He made a name for himself as a Daguerrotype portrait artist in the United States. He maintained a mobile studio in a wagon that he called his "Daguerrotype Sa ...
's ''Daguerreotype Saloon'',
Roger Fenton's ''Photographic Van'' and
Mathew Brady
Mathew B. Brady ( – January 15, 1896) was one of the earliest photographers in American history. Best known for his scenes of the American Civil War, Civil War, he studied under inventor Samuel Morse, who pioneered the daguerreotype technique ...
's ''What-is-it?'' wagon set the standards for making portraits and other photographs in the field.
Some photographers took the technique to other countries.
Augustus Washington moved to Monrovia, Liberia from Hartford, Connecticut and created daguerreotype portraits for many political leaders for the country.
Politics
![Eero Järnefelt - Portrait of Pehr Evind Svinhufvud](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Eero_J%C3%A4rnefelt_-_Portrait_of_Pehr_Evind_Svinhufvud.jpg)
In
politics, portraits of the leader are often used as a
symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
of the
state. In most countries, it is common protocol for a portrait of the
head of state to appear in important
government buildings. Excessive use of a leader's portrait, such as that done of
Joseph Stalin,
Adolf Hitler, or
Mao Zedong, can be indicative of a
personality cult.
Literature
In
literature the term ''portrait'' refers to a written description or analysis of a person or thing. A written portrait often gives deep insight, and offers an analysis that goes far beyond the superficial. For example, the American author
Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell (born Patricia Carroll Daniels; June 9, 1956) is an American crime writer. She is known for her best-selling novels featuring medical examiner Kay Scarpetta, of which the first was inspired by a series of sensational murders in ...
wrote a best-selling 2002 book entitled ''
Portrait of a Killer
''Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed'' () is a 2002 nonfiction book by crime novelist Patricia Cornwell that presents the theory that Walter Sickert, a German-British painter, was the 19th-century serial killer known as Jack th ...
'' about the personality, background, and possible motivations of
Jack the Ripper, as well as the media coverage of his murders, and the subsequent police investigation of his crimes.
However, in literature a portrait of a character is a subtle combination of fact and fiction, exploring the individual psychology of the character in the wider context of their environment. When the subject of the narrative is a historical figure, then the writer is free to create a compelling and dramatic portrait of the person that draws on imaginative invention for verisimilitude. An example is
Hilary Mantel's ''
Wolf Hall'' (2009) which, while acknowledging the work of the historian Mary Robertson for background information, imagines an intimate portrait of
Thomas Cromwell and his intense relationship with
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
at a critical time in English history. It could be argued that in literature any portrait is a discreet assembly of facts, anecdotes, and author's insights.
Plutarch's ''
Parallel Lives
Plutarch's ''Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans'', commonly called ''Parallel Lives'' or ''Plutarch's Lives'', is a series of 48 biographies of famous men, arranged in pairs to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings, probably writt ...
'', written in the 2nd century AD, offer a prime example of historical literary portraits, as a source of information about the individuals and their times.
Painted portraits can also play a role in literature. These can be fictional portraits, such as that of Dorian Gray in
the eponymous 1891 novel by
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
. But sometimes also real portraits feature in literature. An example is the portrait of
Richard III
Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
that plays a role in
Josephine Tey's 1951 novel ''
The Daughter of Time''.
See also
*
Caricature
A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, a ...
*
Environmental portrait
An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject's usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject's life and surroundings. The term is most frequently used of a genre of photography
...
*
Head shot
A head shot or headshot is a modern (usually digital) portrait in which the focus is on the person. The term is applied usually for professional profile images on social media, images used on online dating profiles, the 'about us page' of a cor ...
*
Hidden faces
People often see hidden faces in things. Depending on the circumstances, this is referred to as pareidolia, the perception or recognition of a specific pattern or form in something essentially different. It is thus also a kind of optical illusion ...
*
Hierarchy of genres
* ''
Painting the Century: 101 Portrait Masterpieces 1900–2000''
*
Portrait painting
Portrait Painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to represent a specific human subject. The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists may create their work by commission, for public and pr ...
*
Self-portrait
A self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century tha ...
*
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
References
External links
*
Digitaler PortraitindexNational Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian InstitutionNational Portrait Gallery LondonNational Portrait Gallery Moscow''Painting The Century 101 Portrait Masterpieces''Jeanne Ivy's Self-Portrait Page- ''What Artists Find When They Search in the Mirror''.
Portrait Detectives- Fun interactive introduction to the analysis of portraiture.
Reportret- A gallery of reconstructions of missing portraits from world history.
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
{{Authority control
Portrait
Visual arts genres