1. The Portrait

2. A Brief History of Portraits Rome was a republic for many years (Republic = No King/Queen, With King/Queen = Monarchy) Then Julius Caesar took sole power as dictator in 49 B.C. and after his death Augustus became the first Emperor of Rome. The Roman people were nervous about having a man in charge who might behave like a king (they were very proud of being a republic with a senate in charge) Augustus had this statue made, and copies were distributed in all major cities throughout the Roman Empire. This portrait was designed to present Augustus in a particular way to the people. What did Augustus want his portrait to ‘say’ to the Roman people? …. Discuss.

3. A Brief History of Portraits Pose (contraposto) … (He will take Rome forward to greater conquest, power and wealth) Hand points upward & forward... (Similar to the pose, he will take Rome upwards to greater conquest, power and wealth) Clothing = that of a soldier and a Senator (man of the people but also strong and will defend Rome) Facial Expression … (He is calm, serene and looks like a fair and honest man) No crown – not even the laurel crown which Roman victors wore … so he’s not trying to be a king. Little angel (putti) … (Even the Gods favour this man!)

4. Piero della Francesca, Baptism of Christ 1445 For many years the major patron of art was the Church and most portraits would be of religious figures (Christ, Saints, Disciples, Martyrs etc). Jan Van Eyck, Christ, 15 th century

5. Holbein, King Henry VIII, 1536 Kings, Queens and aristocrats of high status also commissioned portraits. Why did poor people not commission portraits?

6. Leonardo da Vinci, La Gioconda (Mona Lisa), 1503-6 During the Renaissance (around 1400 to 1600) there was a great revival in literature, science and art. ‘Ordinary’ wealthy people started to commission portraits.

7. Thomas Gainsborough, Mr and Mrs Andrews, 1748-9 Joshua Reynolds, Lieutenant-Colonel Banastre Tarleton, 1782

8. Portrait by Julia Margaret Cameron Early Dagguerotype The photograph could record exactly what a person looked like and was much cheaper than a painting. In 1837 the first permanent photographic process is discovered …

9. August Sander A ‘conventional’ portrait (rather like a traditional painted portrait). Kertesz Photographic portraits can also capture fleeting moments more easily than painting.

10. Richard Avedon Do you think that this portrait photograph depicts a conventional portrait or a fleeting moment?

11. So what happened to the painted portrait after the discovery of photography in 1837?

12. Van Gogh, Self Portrait, 1885 Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893

13. Marcel Duchamp, Nude descending a staircase, 1912 (painting) How might photography have influenced the making of this painted portrait?

14. Pablo Picasso, Dora Maar seated, 1941

15. Willem de Kooning, Woman, 1944 Head VI, Francis Bacon, 1949

16. After the discovery of photography many portrait painters became photographers. Many of the artists who wanted to carry on painting now experimented by portraying the world in new and exciting ways. Photography changed Art.

17. What about photographic portraits today?

18. The portrait is used in many different ways in our modern world.

19. What is the purpose or use of a portrait? (think about the images you have seen and what they were ‘for’)