Portraiture Case Study
Portraiture Case Study
“Some of the most fascinating portraits are those that offer the viewer an emotional or psychological insight into their subject”
Compare and contrast the work of THREE artists who have explored the genre of portraiture.
A portrait is typically defined as a representation of a specific individual, such as the artist might meet in life. “It could be drawn, painted, sculpted or photographed. A portrait is usually a statement, made firstly by the sitter, who wishes to be seen in a particular way, and secondly, by the artist, who wishes to present or represent that person.” A portrait does not merely record someone’s features, but says something about who he or she is, offering a vivid sense of a real persons presence.
A self-portrait is a representation of an artist, by the artist using the same materials/media as in portraits (drawings, paintings, sculpture and photography). Self-portraiture is a powerful genre as artists are able to directly translate the emotions they are feeling, in a more intense and potent way than merely telling us verbally. The power of a particular self-portrait does not necessarily rely upon the portraits “aesthetic beauty”, rather than its ability to give us insight on the artists psychological, physical and emotional views of themselves.
Frida Kahlo De Rivera (1907- 1954), was a Mexican artist whose works “were strongly linked with her own life experiences, whilst also relating to world events, politics and the wider art world.” Kahlo is best known for her self-portraits, they demonstrate her need for self-expression and her exploration of identity. Although her physical features and eccentric costumes are striking and eye-catching, it is her internal life that explodes beyond the canvas. Kahlo’s unique portrait style jumps straight to the art of profoundly felt passions and sorrows. “Juxtaposing the familiar with the strange, marrying naturalistic depiction with bizarre symbolism, Kahlo is able to convince us
“Some of the most fascinating portraits are those that offer the viewer an emotional or psychological insight into their subject”
Compare and contrast the work of THREE artists who have explored the genre of portraiture.
A portrait is typically defined as a representation of a specific individual, such as the artist might meet in life. “It could be drawn, painted, sculpted or photographed. A portrait is usually a statement, made firstly by the sitter, who wishes to be seen in a particular way, and secondly, by the artist, who wishes to present or represent that person.” A portrait does not merely record someone’s features, but says something about who he or she is, offering a vivid sense of a real persons presence.
A self-portrait is a representation of an artist, by the artist using the same materials/media as in portraits (drawings, paintings, sculpture and photography). Self-portraiture is a powerful genre as artists are able to directly translate the emotions they are feeling, in a more intense and potent way than merely telling us verbally. The power of a particular self-portrait does not necessarily rely upon the portraits “aesthetic beauty”, rather than its ability to give us insight on the artists psychological, physical and emotional views of themselves.
Frida Kahlo De Rivera (1907- 1954), was a Mexican artist whose works “were strongly linked with her own life experiences, whilst also relating to world events, politics and the wider art world.” Kahlo is best known for her self-portraits, they demonstrate her need for self-expression and her exploration of identity. Although her physical features and eccentric costumes are striking and eye-catching, it is her internal life that explodes beyond the canvas. Kahlo’s unique portrait style jumps straight to the art of profoundly felt passions and sorrows. “Juxtaposing the familiar with the strange, marrying naturalistic depiction with bizarre symbolism, Kahlo is able to convince us