portrait
POR-trit
/ˈpɔːrtrət/
A painting, drawing, photograph, or engraving of a person, especially one depicting only the face or head and shoulders.
A portrait is more than a likeness; it aims to capture the subject's character, mood, identity, or social status.
The story behind the word. The word 'portrait' comes from Old French 'portraire', which traces to Latin 'protrahere'—literally 'to drag or pull forth'. The idea was that an artist 'pulls forth' the hidden personality or visual truth of a person out into the open for all to see.
Word relationships
- likeness: 'Likeness' focuses strictly on physical resemblance, whereas 'portrait' implies artistic intention and mood.
- depiction: 'Depiction' can represent any object, scene, or idea, while 'portrait' focuses specifically on a human subject.
- landscape: A landscape depicts natural scenery, whereas a portrait depicts an individual person.
Commonly confused with
- portrayal: 'Portrait' is a physical picture/artwork; 'portrayal' is the act or manner of representing someone in acting, writing, or art.
Word family
- portray (verb): to depict or represent in art or words
- portrayal (noun): a representation or interpretation
- portraiture (noun): the art or practice of making portraits
Collocations
- self-portrait
- official portrait
- family portrait
- portrait painting
- portrait gallery
Idioms & expressions
- portrait of courage
Example sentences
- "Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is arguably the most recognizable portrait in Western art." Classical Art
- "The studio photographer specialized in dramatic executive portraits lit with single soft light sources." Photography
Memory hook
A PORTRAIT PULLS (trahere) the persona FORTH (pro) onto paper. Drawing forth a person's inner spirit into sight.
When not to use
Do not use 'portrait' to describe a picture of a scenery or landscape unless speaking metaphorically ('a portrait of a city').
Fun facts
- Before cameras existed, royal portraiture was used for political arranged marriages across European nations.
- Self-portraits became popular only after high-quality glass mirrors were mass-produced in Renaissance Venice.
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