Portraits are created for several reasons: to allow people to look at themselves before photography, to show off families, and because subjects are always available in the case of self-portraits. Portraits also represent important historical figures and can place conceptual meanings on or influence opinions about a person. Portraits have been commissioned throughout history by patrons to represent themselves, their families, leaders, and to convey symbolic ideas.

1. Why do we make portraits?
a look at the reasons behind portrait painting

2. Reasons for creating a
portrait
People like to look at themselves
People want to show off their families
The subject matter is always willing and able, in the case of self portraits
To represent important figures
To place a conceptual meaning on a person
To influence someones opinion about a person

3. We like to look at ourselves
Patrons often commission artists to create a
portrait of themselves.
This was seen often in the past before the
widespread use of photography.
These portraits were painted from life.
Hans Holbein the Younger, “Sir Thomas More”,1527

4. Holbein the Younger, “Portrait of Henry
the VIII”, 1536
Original Burned in a
fire 1698
Commissioned by
Henry VIII
Created as a mural
in the palace of
whitehall
Walker Art Gallery Copy

5. Andy Warhol, “Tina Chow”, 1985
Commissioned artartwork payed for by
a patron
Patron- someone
who pays for an
artwork
http://edu.warhol.org/aract_comport.html

6. Andy Warhol, “Silver Liz”,
1963
http://artobserved.com/2009/06/go-see-paris-warhols-wide-world-a-retrospective-on-andy-warhol-at-the-galeries-nationalesdu-grand-palais-through-july-13th-2009/

7. We want to show off our
families
This painting is located in the
Biltmore house
Shows off the family of William
A. V. Cecil, descendantsof the
Vanderbilt family.
Stone Roberts, “William A. V. Cecil Family”, 1990-91
http://www.biltmore.com/our_story/our_history/vanderbilt.asp

8. The subject matter is always willing and
able
All artists create self
portraits
Self portraits allow the
artist to have a model
who is available at any
time
Self portraits allow the
artists to study the face
Mary Cassatt, “Self-Portrait”, circa 1878

9. Hokusai, “Self-portrait”, 19th century

10. Hokusai, “Self-Portrait as old man”

11. To represent important
figures
Even today well after the invention
of photography, important people
are represented with the arts
The painted portraits of each of our
presidents can be found with a
quick search of the web
Other important people represented
in portraiture include: Media figures,
military leaders, political leaders
Norman Rockwell, “Richard Nixon”, 1968
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/travpres/index6.htm

12. Elaine De Kooning, “John F. Kennedy”,
1963
Not all portraits of leaders have
to show incredible realism
This example is created by an
abstract expressionist
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/travpres/index6.htm

13. Mansudae art studio, Kim
Jung Il, 2012
Recently in the news:
statue of late North
Korea leader Kim Jung
Il
http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120214/120214_north_korea?hub=C
P24Extras

14. To place a conceptual meaning on a
person
What kinds of
conceptual ideas do you
see?
Conceptual:Meaning
based on Idea more
than representation
Notice the hand
Robert Rauschenberg, “Retroactive
1”, 1963
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/05/13/arts/13cndrausch2.ready.html

15. To influence and opinion about a person
What kind of feeling
does the photographer
give the viewer
What do you think was
the photographer’s
purpose
Lewis Hine, “Breaker Boys in Coal
Mine”,1911
http://www.authentichistory.com/1898-1913/2-progressivism/3-laborreform/2hine/index.html

16. “Indiana Glass Works at
Midnight”,1908
http://www.authentichistory.com/1898-1913/2-progressivism/3-laborreform/2-hine/index.html