Portraiture : an in-depth study on self-portrayal and delineation

Abstract

This study aims to explore the manner of how the “perceived” and the “portrayed” in Fine Art portraiture within society differentiate. The study uses verbal description and visual observation as methods to bring the portrait to light and looks at the importance of the relationship between the artist and the sitter and its role in the development of the final portrait. Through analytical research, the dissertation defines and explores what a portrait is, with close reference to its historic background. Theories on the “self” from the field of social sciences, such that of Descartes’ “cartesian self” and Erving Goffman’s “dramaturgy”, will be implemented in hope of better understanding the individual behind the portrait. The artist’s fundamental role is also unveiled by using Henri Matisse’s analogy on the subject throughout the study. Research was conducted in the form of visual observation, in order to attain data on six participants who are engaging in this research as sitters. Data was gathered from verbal descriptions, as told by a third party, and from my own observation. The culminated information is used to develop two distinct portraits; identikits and painted portraits. This study further explores how the representations obtained resonate with previous research in the field, analysing the full dependancy of the artist’s discretion on the sitter’s portrayal.