A portrait is an image – be it a drawing, painting, or sculpture – that bears an intended likeness to a person. For many hundreds of years, people have wanted to have their likeness captured.

However, portraits can do more than just capture a person’s physical appearance. They can speak about character, mood, or even about how the artist feels about the sitter. Portraits can also talk about social and political issues. They can tell us

about the sitter’s status and power, for instance; about his or her beliefs; or how society feels about him or her.

Portraits often commemorate or memorialise people. Portraits of iconic leaders and other famous individuals are displayed in places where people can constantly be reminded of them. Where have you seen a portrait like this?

But portraits are also created for many other reasons, as you
will see. 

Do you think that a documentary film can be a portrait? Can an abstract work of art be a portrait? Does a portrait have to show the face at all? Can a picture of the back of a head be a portrait?