The ubiquitous selfie is now part of the vocabulary of modern life but portraiture as an art form stems back to ancient Egypt from about 5000 years ago. Before photography was invented, a portrait, be that a painting, sculpture or a drawing was the only way to record a likeness of someone. But portraits tell us a lot more than that, they depict the qualities of the sitter and consider someone’s status, beauty, personality and taste. Often they also tell us about the artist who is making the portrait, their interests, artistic style and personality.
This exhibition features a range of portraits from the Sarjeant’s permanent collection in a variety of media – paintings, photography and sculpture and in this diverse mix there are connections between them, linking subjects and styles across time.
The ubiquitous selfie is now part of the vocabulary of modern life but portraiture as an art form stems back to ancient Egypt from about 5000 years ago. Before photography was invented, a portrait, be that a painting, sculpture or a drawing was the only way to record a likeness of someone. But portraits tell us a lot more than that, they depict the qualities of the sitter and consider someone’s status, beauty, personality and taste. Often they also tell us about the artist who is making the portrait, their interests, artistic style and personality.
This exhibition features a range of portraits from the Sarjeant’s permanent collection in a variety of media – paintings, photography and sculpture and in this diverse mix there are connections between them, linking subjects and styles across time.