For centuries, artists have attempted to capture something far more elusive than a person’s physical appearance. The finest portraits reveal character, status, emotion, personality—and sometimes something about the world in which the subject lived.
The art of portraiture flourished during the Renaissance, when the individual became an increasingly important subject for artists and their patrons. By the 16th century, wealthy families, nobility and influential figures throughout Europe were commissioning portraits not simply as records of appearance, but as expressions of identity and position.
The exchange of artistic ideas crossed borders as well. Patrons in Italy looked to the extraordinary realism and attention to detail associated with artists from Northern Europe and Flanders, while artists throughout Europe continued to influence one another. Portraiture was becoming more sophisticated and more personal.
By the 17th century, portraiture had developed into one of Europe’s most important artistic traditions. Clothing, surroundings, pose, expression and even the placement of a sitter’s hands could communicate wealth, profession, family standing or personality. Yet the greatest portrait artists went further—creating works that allowed the viewer to sense the individual behind the image.
Over the centuries, that purpose has continued to evolve.
Modern and contemporary portraiture may be realistic, impressionistic, abstract or highly expressive. The artist is no longer necessarily concerned with creating an exact likeness. Instead, a portrait may explore mood, relationships, culture, identity or simply the artist’s personal interpretation of another human being.
And that may be what makes portraiture so endlessly fascinating.
A face painted centuries ago can still cause us to stop, look and wonder: Who was this person? What were they thinking? What was their story?
At Hunter Gallery in Mountain Lakes, we invite you to discover the enduring art of portraiture and experience how artists across generations have interpreted one of art’s most compelling subjects…us!
We welcome you to visit us and explore our variety of portraits and extraordinary artwork and sculptures through the centuries from the 1800s through the 21st century.