Portrait Painting

The great era of European portrait painting, that flowered so spectacularly in the 15th century and continued through till late 17th century, defined the genre so completely that artists have been in its aesthetic shadow ever since. In that era too, the societal conventions surrounding the commissioned portrait were established. Most importantly, perhaps, the role that the portrait played in confirming the subject's wealth, power and status in society.

Although settlers in 19th century New Zealand brought with them cultural baggage from Europe, the practice of commissioning an artist to paint your portrait did not sit easily in a colony attempting to be more egalitarian than Europe. Nor could many people afford to do so. Furthermore, the invention of photography which virtually coincided with colonisation, provided a more 'democratic' alternative. So it is no surprise that a strong tradition of commissioned portrait painting did not flourish in New Zealand, compared to Europe.

For many 19th and 20th century New Zealand artists, however, the portrait, itself, continued to be an important pursuit. Often painting their friends and family or even themselves, artists continued to be attracted by the mystery of the human face. In this section you will find a range of portraits. Consider them in terms of physical likeness, psychological insight and painterly expressiveness: how these aspects interact. For instance, do these portraits feel 'real' as personalities? Other than physical likeness, what techniques or devices has the artist used to convey a sense of the person/subject? What is the 'atmosphere' of the painting saying about the subject? When we use the term atmosphere we are referring not only to what is in the background or on the table next to the sitter, but also to the qualities of the paint; the combination of colours and brushstrokes.

Barnett, Gerald. Portrait Painting. Discover: Te Kohanga Taonga, updated June 9 2002. URL: http://discover.natlib.govt.nz