Portraits: More Than Meets the Eye
Marie Devers
1Many people hesitate to enjoy art because they think they don’t “get” the paintings that hang in museums. In order to “get” art, you should have an understanding of artists’ conventions--meaning how artists tell stories and make comments through their images. Artists enjoy telling stories through their work. Similar to the way you would analyze an essay, you can appreciate a painting by noticing the details artists include.
2A portrait is a representation of a person that usually shows the person’s face. While portraits seem to show only appearances, they actually offer much more. They tell stories about their subjects. The definition of the word portrait is “a display of a person’s appearance and personality.” How can you learn anything about personality from a portrait? For one thing, the individual is not the only thing in the portrait that deserves your attention.
3Portraits provide many visual clues aside from the individual. Notice the props that surround the person: A person holding a baby is supposed to seem nurturing; a soldier holding a gun is supposed to look commanding; an old gentleman surveying his neglected farmland tells a story about the feelings of growing older. Think about the expression on the subject’s face: Is this person bored, elated, or melancholy? The subject’s expression reflects more than his or her mood on one random day. The artist chose to freeze this person in a particular expression in order to convey a message.
4Portrait creation has been popular for many years. In ancient cultures, artists created portraits that reflected peoples' status. Some artists created portraits of the same people at different times throughout their lives to show progression. Portrait trends change all the time. Early Romans represented subjects as accurately as possible, even if that meant showing imperfections. Portraits created later tended to highlight the positive aspects of the subject. Many believe that artists create portraits of only historically important people. Though icons are often the subjects of portraits, the most well-known portrait in the world is probably Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, which illustrates an unidentified woman revealing a secret smile.
5Portraits don’t have to be in the form of paintings. They can also come in the form of photographs or sculptures. Today, most portraits are photographs, but these portraits haven’t lost the ability to tell stories about the people in them. Think about bridal portraits—the white dress, the bouquet, the excited smile: These are all details that suggest ideas about the person in the portrait. Even your annual school photo is a portrait. Does the background of your picture look like a wall of books? This signifies your years of learning. A curtain in the school colors might serve to remind you years from now of your academic days.
6Portraits, which are the most interesting form of art, tell stories. Now that you know about popular conventions used in portraits, perhaps you can create better photos of your friends, families, and even pets! At the very least, you now know what art enthusiasts are staring at when they ogle a portrait for an extended period.
Question
Suppose a reader looked at a portrait of a smiling person with books and a desk in the background. What MIGHT the reader assume about the person in the portrait?
Responses
A The subject is a well-known person.The subject is a well-known person.
B The subject feels bad about growing older.The subject feels bad about growing older.
C The subject is has a nurturing personality.The subject is has a nurturing personality.
D The subject believes education is important.