Defining Portraits and Portraiture in Art

Portraits are works of art that record the likenesses of humans or animals that are alive or have been alive. The word  portraiture  is used to describe this category of art. The purpose of a portrait is to memorialize an image of someone for the future. It can be done with painting, photography, sculpture, or almost any other medium. Some portraiture is also created by artists purely for the sake of creating art, rather than working on commission. The human body and face are fascinating subjects that many artists like to study in their personal work. Types of Portraits in Art One could speculate that the majority of portraits are created while the subject is still alive. It may be a single person or a group, such as a family. Portrait paintings go beyond simple documentation, it is the artists interpretation of the subject. Portraits can be realistic, abstract, or representational.   Thanks to photography, we can easily capture records of what people look like throughout their life. This was not possible prior to the invention of the medium in the mid-1800s, so people relied on painters to create their portrait.   A painted portrait today is often seen as a luxury, even more than it was in previous centuries. They tend to be painted for special occasions, important people, or simply as artwork. Due to the cost involved, many people choose to go with photography instead of hiring a painter. A posthumous portrait is one that is rendered after the death of the subject. It can be achieved by either copying another portrait or following instructions of the person who commissions the work. Single images of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, or any saints are not considered portraits. They are called devotional images. Many artists also choose to do a self-portrait. It is a work of art depicting the artist created by their own hand. These are typically made from a reference photo or by looking in a mirror. Self-portraits can give you a good sense of how an artist views themselves and, quite often, it is rather introspective. Some artists will regularly create self-portraits, some just one in their lifetime, and others will not produce any. Portraiture as Sculpture While we tend to think of a portrait as a two-dimensional piece of artwork, the term can also apply to sculpture. When a sculptor focuses on just the head or the head and neck, it is called a  portrait. The word  bust is used when the sculpture includes part of the shoulder and breast. Portraiture and Appropriation Usually, a portrait records the subjects features, though it often also tells something about them. A portrait of the art historian Robert Rosenblum (1927–2006) by Kathleen Gilje captures the sitters face. It also celebrates his outstanding Ingres scholarship through the appropriation of Jean-Auguste-Domonique Ingres portrait of the Comte de Pastoret (1791—1857). Ingres portrait was completed in 1826 and Giljes portrait was completed in 2006, several months before Rosenblums death in December. Robert Rosenblum collaborated on the choice of appropriation. Representative Portraiture Sometimes a portrait includes inanimate objects that represent the subjects identity. It doesnt necessarily have to include the subject itself. Francis Picabias portrait of Alfred Stieglitz  Ici, Cest Ici Stieglitz (Here is Stieglitz, 1915, Stieglitz Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art) depicts only a broken bellows camera. Stieglitz was a famous photographer, dealer, and Georgia OKeeffes husband. The early twentieth-century Modernists loved machines and Picabias affection for both the machine and Stieglitz is expressed in this work. The Size of Portraits Portraiture can come in any size. When a  painting was the only way to capture a persons likeness, many well-to-do families chose to memorialize people in portrait miniatures. These paintings were often done in enamel, gouache, or watercolor on animal skin, ivory, velum, or a similar support. The details of these tiny portraits—often just a couple of inches—are amazing and created by extremely talented artists. Portraits can also be very large. We often think of paintings of royalty and world leaders hanging in enormous halls. The canvas itself can, at times, be larger than the person was in real life. However, the majority of painted portraiture falls in between these two extremes. Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa (ca. 1503) is probably the most famous portrait in the world and it was painted on  a 2-foot, 6-inch by 1-foot, 9-inch poplar panel. Many people do not realize how small it is until they see it in person.

The Trail of Tears Essay - 1166 Words

The Trail of Tears I walked into the room on New Year’s Day and felt a sudden twinge of fear. My eyes already hurt from the tears I had shed and those tears would not stop even then the last viewing before we had to leave. She lay quietly on the bed with her face as void of emotion as a sheet of paper without the writing. Slowly, I approached the cold lifeless form that was once my mother and gave her a goodbye kiss. I looked around at everyone in the room and saw the sorrow in their eyes. My eyes first fell on my grandmother, usually the beacon of strength in our family. My grandmother looked as if she had been crying for a very long period of time. Her face looked more wrinkled than before underneath the wild, white hair†¦show more content†¦They were a reflective silver metal that made it seem as if I was staring into my own soul. They had black on the faces and a large number of buttons to take care of the many functions that the machine carried out. . The bright numbers that kept track of pulse and blood pressure were a blazing shade of red. Every time I had visited that room the numbers represented on the screen had been lowering by the hour. They stood on a small pedestal that was about four feet high with four small feet that pointed in the directions as if they were part of a compass and each foot pointed in one direction. There were also IV’s that were put in my mom’s arm to give her the medicine she needed to help her heart recover from the heart attack. The IV dripped methodically as everyone in the room stood still. There was also an electrical blanket that was keeping her warm as she was getting colder. The electrical blanket was of a blue color and actually felt a little like paper. It was not thin but made of a material that would keep a person warm as well as safe in the bed. The bed in this room was a twin size bed that took much of the space and made the room a slightly smaller. The television set in the room hung over the foot of the bed to allow the patient to view it while they were in bed. The walls were painted in bright shades of color so the room could be a cheery atmosphere. The bathroom was a very small room which consisted of a large sink that took up oneShow MoreRelatedTrail of Tears1191 Words   |  5 PagesTitle of the Lesson: Trail of Tears Content Area(s): Social Studies, Literature, Technology Unit of Study: Trail of Tears/US History Grade Level: 4-6 Time Frame: Comprehensive Unit/Lesson scheduled to take 3 weeks including reading of novel and a few different projects NCSS Themes: 1. Culture, 2. Time, Continuity and Change 3. People, Places Environment 4. Individual Development and Identity 5. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions 6. Power, authority, and governance Standards: Read MoreThe Trail Of Tears1511 Words   |  7 Pagesbackground of every great civilization it is very easy to see that every civilization has a dark past. For example the United States has shameful things to look back on such as slavery and the forceful moving of the indian tribes also known as the Trail of Tears. This shows that although the country is great and well developed today they all had to do something to get to where they are today. Italy is one of the most influential countries today. This where Christianity, Mythology, and also it was wereRead More Trail of Tears Essay1511 Words   |  7 PagesTrail of Tears Within United States History, there has been some horrible discrimination upon certain races of people. At the trail of tears native Americans were persecuted against heavily. Until 1828 the federal government had Cherokee rights to their land and in that same year Andrew Jackson was elected president and this all ended. On September 15, 1830, at Little Dancing Rabbit Creek, the Chiefs of tribes and representatives of the United States met to discuss a bill recently passed by theRead MoreThe Road Of The Trail Of Tears1334 Words   |  6 PagesThe Trail of Tears has been one of the most controversial government sponsored events in American History. Was America justified in destroying a culture in its pursuit of Manifest Destiny, or did they feel it was their only option in this matter at the time? Based on research, I feel that the American policy of Indian removal and relocation was extremely unethical and unjustified in its motives and execution. Before Europeans arrived in present-day America, the Native Americans were living on millionsRead More The Trail of Tears Essay2169 Words   |  9 PagesThe Trail of Tears â€Å"The Trail of Tears† was a despicable event in American history because of our government’s inhumane treatment of the Cherokee Nation. To the Cherokee Nation, the journey west, called by them â€Å"The Trail Where We Cried,† was a bitter pill forced upon them by a state and federal government that cared little for their culture or society, and even less about justice. To the white settlers, it meant expanding horizons, hope, dreams of riches, and a new life. It wasRead MoreThe Trail Of Tears By James Collins1452 Words   |  6 PagesJames Collins Donald West History 201 December 1, 2015 TRAIL OF TEARS The trail of tears is also referred to as the period of Indian s removal. It was a period where Native Americans in the U.S were forcefully relocated following the removal of Indian Removal Act of 1830. Those who were forcibly moved were from Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, and Chickasaw and Choctaw nations in the southern U.S, an area initially referred to as the Indian Territory. Migration from Cherokee nation had begun in theRead MoreThe Trail Of Tears By Amy Sturgis1286 Words   |  6 PagesThe Trail of Tears was a huge turning point seen by Amy Sturgis, as clearly shown in her chapter, â€Å"The Trail of Tears as a Turning Point†. Sturgis have separated how the Trail of Tears has affected history into three categories: the world, the US, and for the Cherokee Nation. All three categories intermingle, affecting one another with either a positive or a negative feedback. The United States perspective on the Native people has drastically changed from President to President. â€Å"George WashingtonRead MoreThe Trail Of Tears : American History1631 Words   |  7 PagesWhen people hear about the Trail of Tears, the only thought to really pop up in their mind is a bunch of Indians died while being forced to emigrate from their homes. Many people believe that the Trail of Tears revolves only around the Cherokee Indians because the name came from their language. Of the Cherokee who made it to the west without death taking them, they called this forced removal, â€Å"Nunna Daul Isunyi—The Trail Where We Cried† (Langguth, 311). The Trail of Tears is a blackspot on AmericanRead MoreThe Trail Of Tears As A Turning Point995 Words   |  4 Pages The Trail of Tears as a Turning Point The Cherokee nation, located in North Carolina before their removal, now locate it in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A great city of great and wonderful people. The trail of tears, which means the place where they cried, does not only describe the removal of the Cherokees from their land, but it also describes the death of so many of them and the loss of their traditional and gorgeous houses. Nowadays, Cherokee descent had created a play that describe what happened toRead MoreThe Trail Of Tears By Andrew Jackson Essay1443 Words   |  6 Pagesjourney and travel countless miles to their new land known as The Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears was a part of Andrew Jackson s Indian Removal policy, which made 15,000 Cherokees up and leave their land because whites wanted their land(Historical Documents: The Trail of Tears). During this journey, 4,000 out of the 15,000 Cherokee’s died because of lack of food, exhaustion,and diseases(Historical Documents:The Trail of Tears). The continuing mistreatment of Natives has not ended, it is still

Technological Progress Free Essays

Opinion essay: â€Å"Technological Progress – Blessing or Curse? † â€Å"He who moves not forward, goes backward†. Goethe â€Å"Do we control our machines or do they control us?. † Author unknown Technology†¦ is a queer thing. We will write a custom essay sample on Technological Progress or any similar topic only for you Order Now It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ~C. P. Snow, New York Times, 15 March 1971 Read the quotations above. Then use them as a starting point for a composition (350–400 words). Write an opinionated text in which you deal with this important but also controversial topic. What are the advantages and disadvantages of technological progress and to what extent has it changed and shaped man’s life? TeenONline Essay-writing competition for teenagers: Life without computers is not worth living The best essay will win a 3-day-stay in London You have decided to take part in the competition. In your essay, express your opinion on the above statement. Make sure you include the following aspects: †¢ information †¢ communication †¢ entertainment Write an opinion essay of about 400 words. | | |A mobile for your four-year-old? What a bad call †¦ | |Yesterday it emerged that a mobile phone aimed at four-year-olds, already available in Ireland, is to go on sale in Britain toward the | |end of the year. The Firefly, as it is called, has only five buttons, including two hot keys for Mummy and Daddy. | | | | |Source: Tim Dowling, The Guardian, Thursday 25 June 2009 | Are mobile phones for four-year-old children a good idea? In your essay make sure you deal with the following aspects: †¢ possible forms of use †¢ effects on parents’ lives effects on children’s lives Write your opinion essay in about 350 words. Opinion essay: â€Å"The Internet – Blessing or Curse? † â€Å"One of the Internet’s strengths is its ability to help consumers find the right needle in a digital haystack of data. † Jared Sandberg â€Å"Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. † Mitchell Kapor â€Å"The lesson here is you can’t expect users to learn. There’s too much fun going on out there on the Internet. † Author unknown Read the quotations above. Then use them as a starting point for a composition (350–400 words). Write an opinionated text in which you deal with this important but also controversial invention. What are the advantages and disadvantages of that medium and to what extent has it changed and shaped modern society? What do you think of the impact the internet has on our life and how are you personally affected by it? (134 words) Opinion essay: Career choice â€Å"Money makes the world go round. † Author Unknown Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. † Confucius â€Å"Those who believe money can do everything are frequently prepared to do everything for money. † Author Unknown Read the quotations above. Then use them as a starting point for a composition (350–400 words) on making the right career choice in which you state your opinion on: †¢ the importance of money in this decision †¢ what other aspects to consi der †¢ how important a good job is for being happy and satisfied Schreibimpuls: 99 Worter How to cite Technological Progress, Papers

Dust Bowl Days free essay sample

Examines how the Dust Bowl evolved and what changes it brought American society. This paper addresses the possible causes of the Dust Bowl phenomenon and how and why it led to the mass exodus of people from the Great Plains to California. The Great Depression marked a time of economic disaster in the United States. Between 1930 and 1941, Great Plains farmers witnessed the worst drought in the countrys history (Henretta 709). This and many other factors led to the period that has become known as the Dust Bowl. This period in time is called the Dust Bowl because Dust seeped into houses and blackened the pillow around ones head, the dinner plates on the table, the bread dough on the back of the stove (Henretta 709). The term Dust Bowl was created by an Associated Press staff writer, Robert Geiger, in response to the things he saw in Guymon, Oklahoma. Within months, it was the term used throughout the nation to describe the wind-blown land throughout Kansas, southeastern Colorado, the Oklahoma Panhandle, the northern two-thirds of the Texas Panhandle, and northeastern New Mexico (Logsdon 3). We will write a custom essay sample on Dust Bowl Days or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Dust Bowl affected the lives of everyone in the United States, not just those of farmers in the Great Plains area. Knowledge of the Dust Bowl is important because this disaster could be repeated due to both its natural, economic, and social causes.