portrait

a word picture of a person's appearance and character any likeness of a person, in any medium

"the photographer made excellent portraits"

Portrait also means a document or image where height is greater than width (opposite of Landscape position).'' A portrait is a painting, photograph, or other artistic representation of a person. Portraits are often simple ''head shots'' or ''mug shots'' and are not usually overly elaborate. The intent is to show the basic appearance of the person, and occasionally some artistic insight into his or her personality.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 favor of an idealized symbol of what that person looked like. (Compare the portraits of Roman Emperors Constantine I (emperor)Constantine I and Theodosius I at their entries.) In Europe true portraits of the outward appearance of individuals re-emerged in the late Middle Ages, in Burgundy and France. , 1575, one of the earliest known]]One of best-known portraits in the Western world is Leonardo da Vinci's painting titled ''Mona Lisa'', which is a painting of an unidentified woman.Some of the earliest portraits of people who were not kings or emperors, are the funeral portraits that survived in the dry climate of Egypt's Fayum district (''illustration, right''). These are the only paintings of the Roman period that have survived, aside from frescos. When the artist creates a portrait of himself, it is called a self-portrait. The first known in paint was by the FranceFrench artist Jean Fouquet in c. 1450,abcgallery.com but if the definition is extended the first was by the Egyptian Pharoah Akhenaten's sculptor Bak, who carved a representation of himself and his wife Taheri c. 1365 BC. However, it seems likely that self-portraits go back to the Cave paintingearliest representational art.Portrait photography is a popular commercial industry all over the world. Many people enjoy having professionally made ''family portraits'' to hang in their house, or special portraits to commemorate certain events, such as graduations or weddings. Since the dawn of photography people have made portraits. The popularity of the daguerreotype in the middle of the 19th century was due in large part to the demand for inexpensive portraiture. Studios sprang up in cities around the world, some cranking out more than 500 plates a day. The style of these early works reflected the technical challenges associated with 30-second exposure times and the painterly aesthetic of the time. Subjects were generally seated against plain backgrounds and lit with the soft light of an overhead window and whatever else could be reflected with mirrors. .]]As photographic techniques developed, an intrepid group of photographers took their talents out of the studio and onto battlefields, across oceans and into remote wilderness. William Shew's ''Daguerreotype Saloon'', Roger Fenton's ''Photographic Van'' and Mathew Brady's ''What-is-it?'' wagon set the standards for making portraits and other photographs in the field. ic portrait by Yousuf Karsh of Albert Einstein. 1948. Gelatin silver print.]]In politics, portraits of the leader are often used as a symbol of the state. In most countries it is common protocol for a portrait of the head of state to appear in important government buildings. Excessive use of a leader's portrait can be indicative of a personality cult.In literature the term ''portrait'' refers to a written description or analysis of a person or thing. A written portrait often gives deep insight, and offers an analysis that goes far beyond the superficial. For example, American author Patricia Cornwell wrote a best-selling book titled ''Portrait of a Killer'' about the personality, background, and possible motivations of Jack the Ripper, as well as the media coverage of his murders, and the subsequent police investigation of his crimes.The term ''portrait'' also describes the orientation of a rectangular piece of paper, painting or other graphic, denoting that the long axis is vertical. When the long axis is horizontal, it is said to be in landscape mode.

See also -

Hierarchy of genres

The Portrait Now

''The Portrait of a Lady'', a novel published in 1881 and a film in 1996

Painting the Century 101 Portrait Masterpieces 1900-2000

External links -

npg.si.edu - National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution

npg.org.uk - National Portrait Gallery London

npg.org.uk - Painting The Century 101 Portrait Masterpieces

research.umbc.edu - Jeanne Ivy's Self-Portrait Page - ''What Artists Find When They Search in the Mirror''.

liverpoolmuseums.org.uk - Portrait Detectives - Fun interactive introduction to the analysis of portraiture.

reportret.info - Reportret - A gallery of reconstructions of missing portraits from world history.

? towleroad.com - An example of a video self-portrait the subject is Andy Towle (.mov file)wiktionary CommonscatPortrait CommonscatSelfportrait Category:Portrait art Portraitcategory:Photography by !genrede:Porträtes:Retratoeo:P ortretofr:Portraithe:דיוק� �nl:Portretja:肖像pt:Auto-re tratosv:Porträttzh:自画像< /text>

Photographer and Photostudio Switzerland
Photographer and Photostudio Switzerland
http://www.peterhofstetter.com/

portraits in tempera and oils, portretten in tempera en olieverf
Commmissioned contemporary portraits and landscapes by Dutch artist using traditional tempera and oil techniques.
http://www.renetweehuysen.nl/

Sara Shamma
Displays strength and simplicity in expression and accuracy of painting in a daring surrealistic climate
http://www.sarashamma.com/

massimo gurciullo
fine art photography
http://www.massimogurciullo.com/

Sandro Kopp Art
Paintings by Sandro Kopp
http://www.sandrokopp.com/

Florent Maussion - Artiste peintre
Artiste peintre contemporain
http://www.florentmaussion.net/

Geir Dokken
Fashion and portrait photographer working from Oslo, Norway.
http://www.sylinder.nu/

FredStein.com
Master photographer Fred Stein 1909-1967: Beautiful evaocative photographs of Paris in the 1930's, New York in the 1940's and famous personalities. Read about his dramatic life: escape from Nazi Germany to France in 1933 and then to the US in 1941.
http://www.fredstein.com/

Captured Light Photography
We are a full service photography studio based in Cincinnati Ohio and serving the United States and Canada.
http://www.photographyandmore.com.com/

Tweten's Photography
Professional Photographer in Grafton, ND. Specializing in Seniors, Families, Children and Celebrities/Performers We are an all digital studio that opened in 1979.
http://www.twetensphotography.com/

Photography
Fotograpphy, Fashion photographer
http://www.victorferreiraphoto.com/

Stewart Photography
stewart photography specializing in landscapes and intimate portraiture photography. high quality digital photography in full color or b&w. can be done on location or in studio.
http://www.trstewart.com

Percy Chang - Baby Portrait Photographer
Artistic baby portrait photography by Percy Chang. See online gallery.
http://www.percychang.com/

Daniel Möller Fotografie Hannover
Daniel Möller Fotografie Hannover, Fotograf, Portfolio des in Hannover lebenden Fotografen Daniel Möller für Beauty, Celebreties, Fashion, People, Portrait, Reportage und Werbung
http://www.fotodanielmoeller.de

Sadie's - The World's Most Creative Children's Portraits
Sadie's offers Hollywood style props and costumes in custom built themed studios.
http://www.sadiesonline.com/

Photoimagestudio - Professional Photography & Digital Imaging
Photoimagestudio offers its professional and talented photographers covering lot of different styles of assignment photography. We are very pleasured to offer our services to your shoot anywhere in the world, from conception to completion, and will deliver on brief, on budget and on deadline. Contact us to commission your next shoot or submit a request online.
http://www.photoimagestudio.it/

Macumba International inc.
One of Quebec’s foremost international documentary production companies, Macumba International has earned a world-class reputation. Its films are broadcast all over the globe, and consistently garner prestigious awards in Canada and abroad. Macumba makes profoundly human documentaries, films that denounce injustice, wherever it occurs. In an increasingly risk-adverse and self-absorbed world, Macumba wants to open windows and build bridges the world over.
http://www.macumbainternational.com/

Boston Advertising Photographer Corporate Digital Photography Massachusetts Photographers:
David is an award-winning digital photographer specializing in advertising and corporate photography. Showcased as one of The Times Journal of Photography's '29 World Renowned Photographers'.
http://www.davidshopper.com/

Ross Models
International models agency.
http://www.rossmodels.bg/

Carnival of Venice, Venice Carnival
Beautiful pictures of the Carnival of Venice realized from Luciano Testi photographer.
http://foto.lucien.it/carnival-of-venice/carnival.html

mahaleo official website
Led by the songs of the mythical group Mahaleo, the film is a moving portrait of Madagascar today.
http://www.mahaleo.com/

Giovannina Colalillo Illustration Art & Design
Giovannina pronounced Jo- van- NEE-nah. Dynamic, vivid, fluid, conceptual, figurative, water pastel and line illustrations for editorial, advertising, publishers, web, children, food, lifestyle, etc. Illustrations available digitally by ftp, email or disk. Stock illustrations available. Call directly at the Studio 905-939-1156 art@giovannina.com or call my Reps American Artists in New York at www.aareps.com or Black Inc. at www.blackinc.com
http://www.giovannina.com

Gallery of Fine Art by Paul Christiaan Bos
Gallery of Fine Art by Paul Christiaan Bos, Portraits of Adults and Children and Landscapes where you can walk round in incredibly detailed paintings. When found necessary for the expression sought, the Artist uses a 15th century technique, which includes him grinding his own paints.
http://www.pcbos.nl/

Arabic Contemporary Figurative Artist- Dalal Al-Sindi
contemporary figurative portraits, still life of raw meat.
http://www.dalalart.com/

JD North Animal Art
Commissioned heirloom-quality portraits of horses, dogs, cats, and other animals are painted by JD using photographs.
http://www.jdnorthart.com/

Isabella Wirth
Everybody can be a star
http://www.isabellawirth.com/

Richard Chamberlain Artworks
Richard Chamberlain, acclaimed for his acting roles in SHOGUN and THETHORNBIRDS began his studies in college as an art major, and has recently begun to exhibit his work. His web site offers a peek into his other passion.
http://www.richard-chamberlain.com/

IKO:photos
Photography Personal Website
http://www.ikophotos.com/

James Taylor Studios
Fine art oil paintings and sculpture
http://www.taylorbronze.com/

Creative Images Photography
Affordable and unique photography. Covering all occasions and events. 352-346-4467
http://www.creativeimages2001.com/

Art by Dirk Dzimirsky
Naturalistic / realistic pencil drawings: Portraits, Nudes, Landscapes. Art prints
http://www.dzimirsky.com/

Art of Twan de Vos
Twan,s work is always about people, their feelings, but primarily their underlying relationships. The subjects are commonplace and are illustrated in an open humorous manner. He makes colorful paintings, linocus, silkscreens and sculptures. Each painting is a collage of diary pages from different periodes. Motto's inspired by the 1970's appear on current issues. He says on this ...feelings are timeless.
http://www.twandevos.nl

Art of Legend India
We are ISO 9001 certified manufacturer and exporter of handicrafts, jewelry, art paintings, home furnishings.
http://www.artoflegendindia.com/

GLASGOW PHOTOGRAPHY OF WISCONSIN
Glasgow Photography is a full service commercial photography provider, offering advertising, product & promotional photography, wedding, portraiture, school & institution photography, business ID, plus graphic services such as brochure design and copy writing.
http://www.glasgowphoto.com/

http://www.wheelofimage.com
Committed to the free 1st image processing job service, using full set of 48-bit image editing tools, both photography and industrial/technical image processing, 48-bit color scanning using internal/external 48-bit scanners, integration of the editing/painting and scientific software, safe image transfer over internet.
http://www.wheelofimage.com/

Commercial photography services
Location photography of business, industry, people and architecture. My creative interpretation will provide your best corporate image. Dramatic lighting designed for each situation.
http://www.michigan-commercial-photography.com/

GROOTkunst Online Gallery
The virtual gallery where artist from all over the world exhibit their artwork. Exhibiting is free and the sale of artwork is commission free.
http://www.grootkunst.com/

artbrut
all about painter like dubuffet and guglielmo
http://www.artbrut.de/

Art Gallery of the Russian artist - Vladimir Piskarev
Conceptual painting in a new realism and post modern style. The pictures of Vladimir Piskarev are exposed in museums of Fine Arts in Kazan, in private collection, galleries in Russia, Europe, America, and the Near East.
http://www.art-pi.com/eng

Paul Murphy Photography
Serving Sonoma County Wine Country.
http://www.paulmurphyphotography.com/

Fotografie, photograpy
erotikfoto,photography,Fotografie,kreativ,photos,VCA,vca, Vienna Creativ Atelier,photography & art, art,www.erotikfoto.at,erotische fotos,erotische Fotografie,Portrait, fotoatelier,atelier, photoatelier,photos,photo, beauty,glamour,erotik, portrait,portraits, portraitfotografie,portraitfoto, aktfotos,aktfotografie,aktfoto, visagistin,make up artist,make up,künstlerische fotos,künstlerische fotografie,künstlerische photographie, art,kreative fotografie,kreative fotos,Fotografen,Fotograf, Fotografin,photographer, Reisefotografie,Foto, Fotos,photo,photos,Bilder,Kunst, kreative Fotografie,Produkte, Produktfotografie,New York,Vernissage
http://www.erotikfoto.at/

Krystal Stevens Photography
Professional portraits and commercial photography in Vancouver BC.
http://www.krystalstevens.com/

Andreas Herzau Photography
Photography, Essay, Portrait and Reportage
http://www.andreasherzau.de/

pietro sutera photography
fine art photography, professional freelance photographer working on international assignements
http://www.pietro-sutera.de/

Posh Photo Photography & Video
Portraits are important part of life. These beautiful moments won’t last forever unless they are captured in photographs. They are a gift you give yourself today . . . and your children tomorrow. Generations of important connections begin with your call to our studio. Let us show you how we have delighted others with outstanding portraits. At Posh Photo, our goal is simple. To create classically styled, timeless images that you will cherish for years to come.
http://www.poshphoto.com/

Stefan Gnauck - Malerei, Grafik, Zeichnung
Gnauck, Stefan Kunst - Kuenstler in Thueringen/Deutschland/Germany Realistische Malerei Landschaft - Portrait - Thematische Arbeiten
http://www.stefan-gnauck.de/

Fotograf Konrad Gös
Fotostudio in Heidelberg for portrait, fashion , nude...
http://www.heidelfoto.de/

PhotoGems of Sterling, VA
Jim Damare of Sterling, Virginia, offering Portrait Photography, Nature Photographs, Pictures of People and Places, Stock Photos for sale, Pet Portraits, Camp Photos and product photos for marketing.
http://www.photogems.us/

Ivan Lloyd Studios
Original Fine Art oil paintings. Arabian Horses International women, illustrated books on Iran
http://www.ivanlloyd.com/

Day Hill Fine Art
Original Oil paintings and Giclee prints by internationally reknowned artist Julia O'Malley-Keyes
http://www.dayhillfineart.com/

Pop-Art-Galerie
Pop-Art-Galerie present pop-art paintings from Michael Ernst. Paintings from Rock-, Pop and Moviestars.
http://www.pop-art-galerie.de/

INES SCHEPPACH - Drawn Pictures of Mankind
Private site of the professional painter Mrs. Ines Scheppach. The Theme is man - drawn pictures of mankind (in pencil, color pencil, aquarelle, oil pastel, mixed media). It's worth to look at. Es lohnt sich!
http://www.ines-scheppach.de/

Kricek Petr - Photographer
Photographer portolio - fine art, glamour, erotic, fashion and lifestyle
http://www.petrkricek.cz/

True photography and photograph galleries of Ray Bilcliff
True photography and photograph galleries of beautiful women and other beautiful things that surround us. We live in a truly beautiful world, that beauty is all around us we only have to open our eyes to see it.
http://www.trueportraits.com/

photographer olof thiel
artist and photographer
http://www.olofthiel.se/

Peter Heydeck's Painting And Portrait Art - From Photorealism To Visialism
Peter Heydeck has developed his own artistic style of painting: visialism, whose stylistics in combination with elements of photorealism he also applies to portrait painting. In the acrylic-painted canvases by Peter Heydeck reality and fantasy are brought together, making the pictures philosophical and poetic at the same time
http://www.peter-heydeck.de/

Bird Photography Harri Vainola
Birds as individual beings.
http://www.harrivainolaphoto.com/

Philip Chudy - Images for advertising and fine art
Chudy’s work for advertising is a hybrid of seemingly irreconcilable modes: purist realism and visual fiction - an instinctive approach to fine art tempered with cutting edge technology - optical photography and 3D digital/virtual image making. Chudy may be the only experienced 3D & photo pro thus addressing the latest hi-tech hybrid imagemaking demands in the automotive field. His fine art work veers more toward realism in the traditional photographic sense and verges on pure documentary,
http://www.philipchudy.com/

Agentur für visuelle Kommunikation
international working communication agency in Cologne. Inverter of democraticbooks. www.democraticbooks.org
http://www.dwork.de/

artiste peintre Jean DURAN
peintre Français,sa passion:les portraits et les nus a l'huile sur toile
http://www.jean-duran.com/

Photographe Montréal Studio
Photogrpahe Montréal Studio Jean-Sébastien Cossette. Professionnel, portraits photo reportage. Studio corporatif, rapport annuel
http://www.jeansebstudio.com/

Canvas Artists - Art from your photos
Talented artists create hand-painted portraits from your photos.
http://www.canvasartists.com/

Contemporary Fine Art For Sale Online
totallyessential.com brings you into artists' studios around the world allowing you to browse thousands of works of art from emerging and established artists. Your orders can be delivered worldwide and come with our money back guarantee.
http://www.totallyessential.com/

National Portrait Gallery
Founded in 1856 to collect portraits of famous British men and women, the collection represents the most comprehensive of its kind.
http://www.npg.org.uk/

National Portrait Gallery
Site features virtual exhibitions of the works in the museum's collection.
http://www.npg.si.edu/

Portrait Displays, Inc.
Visual enhancement software products for computer displays. Pivot software will rotate the computer display from landscape to portrait position. Liquid View software improves the legibility of the Windows interface by scaling icons, menus, and application tools.
http://www.portrait.com/

A Portrait for You
Features oils, pastels, watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media. Also gallery, FAQs, references, and pricing.
http://www.aportraitforyou.com/