A portrait is a representation of a particular person. Portraits have always been more than just a visual record – they have been used to show the power, importance, virtue, beauty, wealth, taste, learning or other qualities of the sitter.
PORTRAITS (500 – 1700)
The art of the portrait flourished in Roman sculptures, where sitters demanded realistic portraits, even unflattering ones. During the 4th century, the portrait began to retreat in favour of an idealised symbol of what that person looked like. Compare the portraits of Roman EmperorsConstantine I and Theodosius I.
Such idealisation was also to be found in the depiction of Jesus Christ – the figure most widely depicted in Western
art. Early Christian imagery, such as this mosaic, from 520AD which communicate and celebrate biblical tales, such as the miracle of loaves and fishes, with splendour. Some 800 years later, the Italian painter Giotto, painted frescoes in Italy depicting the same tales, but with
emotion and staged tension.
Perhaps the most famous portrait is the 'Mona Lisa', by Leonardo DaVinci. This portrait is notorious for its enigmatic depiction of the woman sitter, and of course also for DaVinci’s deft and subtle use of paint.
During the Protestant Reformation in Northern Europe, many objected to pictures or statues of saints. Painters could no longer make money from painting Christian imagery, and so had to adapt to other forms of portraiture. Hans Holbein (1497 – 1543) was one such artist – he was hired as a Court Painter, depicting the royal household. His portraits are valued as carefully composed, subtle and enigmatic studies of real people.
Many other court painters of note emerged following Holbein, among them Diego Velazquez (1599 – 1660), famed for impressionistic naturalism. He seemed to capture real moments in time, long before the invention of the camera.
Rembrandt (1606 – 1669) was a Dutch portrait painter, he is notable for his series of self-portraits in which he portrayed himself without vanity. His paintings form a timeline of his life – from when he was a successful and famous young painter to when he was a lonely and bankrupt old man.
Johannes Vermeer (1632 – 1675) , painted interior scenes of domestic Dutch life. He is renowned for his use of light in his work. Many show a single figure engaged in a simple task, such as pouring milk. They are considered to be very unassuming and mellow portraits, showing the quiet beauty of everyday life.
PORTRIATS (1900 – present day)
Following the invention of the camera, and its subsequent visual revolution, portraiture changed dramatically in the 19th Century. In France the Impressionist painters experimented with light, mood, visible brush strokes, and ordinary subject matter. Post-Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) extended the visual style of the Impressionists, infusing his self-portraits with colour, directional lines and much angst. Other notable portrait artists of this time include Klimt, Picasso, & Modigliani. (note: research these artists independently). Moving forward now to portrait artists from the last century, whose influence is still resonates today –
Frida Khalo (1907 – 1954), a female Mexican painter who depicted narrative, emotion, memory, and culture in her often harrowing self-portraits.Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987) pop artist, avant-garde film-maker, author… He famously created a series of screen-prints of contemporary icons, including Marilyn Monroe, at once highlighting their beauty and the superficiality of fame.Francis Bacon (1909 – 1992) was an Irish-British figurative painter known for his bold and often violent figures, often isolated in geometrical cages.
Peter Blake (1932 - ) is an English Pop artist who plays with ideas about art and its reproduction. He depicts everyday images such as flags, packaging and signage, and other accoutrements of fan culture together with often deliberately naïve figures
Antony Gormely (1950 - ) casts human forms into metals such as lead. The cage-like forms seem both stagnant and alive.
Chris Ofili (1968 - ) is an African-British painter who depicts a multi-cultural experience through his art.
Julian Opie (1958 - ) uses computerized images of both famous and everyday people, and transfers them into simplisitic and cartoon-like images. Every object or person gets the same treatment, thereby democratizing the outcome.
Christian Boltanski (1944 - ) works with the ephemera of the human experience, and much of his work take on the mantle of memorials.
Bill Viola (1951 - ) in an American video artist. His films are quiet studies of emotion, reflection and the human experience.
Sophie Calle (1953 - ) is a French artist who follows strict methodologies in her work. She frequently depicts human vulnerability and intimacy.
Tracey Emin (1963 - ) is an English artists of Turkish-Cypriot origin. Her work can be defined as self-portrariture, even though she rarely uses the human form in her work. Her intimate, self-referential, and feminine works are provocative and notorious.
Marcus Harvey (1963 - ) is British artist who produces portraits out of small multiple units. He is notable for his portrait of Myra Hindley, produced with the handprints of small children.
Marc Quinn (1964 - ) created a self-portrait made out of his own blood. This piece, like much of his other work deals with concepts of mortality and mutability of the body.
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This is obviously not a comprehensive list of portrait artists, however you should use it as a starting point for your personal investigation. Happy researching!
R Davies
