| What is portrait painting? This can be explained as | | | | With the introduction of photography in the 19th |
| follows: This kind of painting typically depicts a | | | | and 20th centuries and the modern |
| person's face, from there, the word "portrait" | | | | communication methods portrait painting changed |
| originates. Furthermore, there are many portraits, | | | | fundamentally. Since then, also "normal" people, |
| old and new ones, on which you can see the | | | | who are striving for a little bit of preservation, |
| portraitee's whole body. A portrait is painted with | | | | and who want to have themselves or their |
| the intention to show all characteristics and | | | | beloved ones painted on a canvas, can have it |
| features. The painter tries to emphasize these | | | | done at affordable prices. |
| details in a portrait. Upon the portraitee's request, | | | | In today's contract painting, especially portraits of |
| little blemishes and other visible details can be | | | | children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents |
| omitted once in a while. They are simply kept | | | | are very popular. In addition to that, depictions of |
| "secret" as painters would call it. | | | | beloved domestic animals, fancy cars or favorite |
| Already in ancient times (four thousand years BC) | | | | landscapes are widely asked for. |
| high standing personalities had themselves | | | | Nowadays, the ones who can afford it, order a |
| preserved for posterity. Portrait painting originated | | | | portrait painting as an individual birthday present. |
| in ancient Egypt, as many pictures in the pyramids | | | | Good painters paint these portraits in such a |
| of deceased show, but only in Greece this genre | | | | precise way that their similarity with the originals |
| came to perfection. | | | | is astonishing and almost have the effect of |
| However, portrait painting was pushed into the | | | | photos. |
| background for a long time (until Renaissance) in | | | | Even changes are possible according to individual |
| favor of sculpture. | | | | demands Upon request, small blemishes can be |
| The main period of portrait painting only began | | | | omitted, as we have already mentioned above. |
| with the Italian painting of high Renaissance, e. g. | | | | What characterizes a good portrait painter? A |
| by artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, | | | | portrait painter must be able to paint a person |
| Raffael and Tizian. | | | | with all his important features. He must be able to |
| In the following centuries, portrait painting | | | | depict exactly what is really visible. You cannot |
| blossomed totally. For example, in the 17th | | | | simply go and change a portraitee's features, |
| century, Peter Paul Rubens was a contract painter | | | | because then the result would no longer be a |
| in great demand. The ones who could afford it | | | | portrait. In the moment of portrayal, the person |
| had themselves preserved for posterity by this | | | | who has himself portrayed offers the painter a |
| painter of Baroque, who was already those days | | | | special depiction of himself with his own details |
| well known. | | | | and features. Good painters are able to reach |
| Today, only a few people can afford an original | | | | exactly this what has been described above. This |
| painting made by an artist's hand. And an original | | | | characterizes them. |
| Rubens painting is even more utopia. | | | | |