A Bit About Portraits

“Ah! Portraiture, portraiture with the thought, the soul of the model in it, that is what I think must come.” (Vincent van Gogh)

A Revival

There is at the moment a revival developing  in  portrait painting both commercially and artistically.  The commissioning of a portrait is an exciting pursuit, starting with a blank canvas that slowly develops intimately into a wonderful and unique representation. This renewed interest is, I think, born out of something intangible that only a painted portrait can convey,  there is something very personal about the creative process and the end result.

Technology thrives at a cumulative rate today, we are now able to capture images of people in the blink of an eye and can manipulate these images in any imaginable way we would desire. Portrait painting as an art form still endures, as with many crafts, it is a skill acquired through devotion, perseverance and practice. Somehow the creation of a painted portrait achieves something that is intrinsically admirable, soulful, sincere and of emotional significance.

The Past

Throughout the ages portraits have been a mark of status or a tribute to a remarkable individual, often reserved for the powerful, influential or the successful and works of art  were largely commissioned by wealthy patrons.

During the 19^th Century  however the idea of the portrait evolved and became more accessible, art materials were also easily purchased and the subject matter, styles and experimentation in portraiture flourished.

The impressionists and post-impressionists explored new and exciting evocative methods of portraiture. Then in the 20th Century we had an abundance of non-representational, conceptional art with a re-emergence in the 60s of portraits in popular culture.

The Art of Portraiture

The discipline of portrait painting can sometimes be viewed as something that belongs in the past. However, the modern day painting of a portrait is more involved than ever before, the artist is  able to explore and experiment more readily with a variety of styles, mediums, compositions and effects to truly reflect a person’s essence. After all,  art is defined as “ the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination……, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”

The completed portrait is a crafted object to be admired for many things; its subject matter and rhythm, symbolism, the skill of the artist and its humanity and beauty.

I believe every artist develops the kind of art they want to produce, this changes in stages, the process is never ending and this is what makes it exciting.

So commissioning a portrait is a very special experience, an artistic endeavour to produce a quality lasting memory, capturing the likeness and character of a person, a unique expression of an individual preserved for future generations to see, enjoy and treasure.