Self-Portrait as Timanthes (c.1780-1803) by James Barry (1741-1806)
Self-Portrait as Timanthes (c.1780-1803) by James Barry (1741-1806). Barry presents himself personified as an artist of ancient Greece, in an image full of references to classical mythology. Partly visible behind him is the sculpture of Hercules crushing the serpent of Envy. See also Death of Adonis. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Ireland
Photo (c) National Gallery of IrelandSelf-Portrait as Timanthes (c.1780-1803) by James Barry (1741-1806)
Photo (c) National Gallery of Ireland
Photo (c) National Gallery of Ireland
Self-Portrait as Timanthes (c.1780-1803) by James Barry (1741-1806)
Self-Portrait as Timanthes (c.1780-1803) by James Barry (1741-1806). Barry presents himself personified as an artist of ancient Greece, in an image full of references to classical mythology. Partly visible behind him is the sculpture of Hercules crushing the serpent of Envy. See also Death of Adonis. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Ireland
Photo (c) National Gallery of Ireland
A painting of a person is called a portrait. This was a very important type of painting before photography. Portraits recorded what a person looked like.
Many earlier portraits showed the person wearing fashionable, expensive clothes. They were a way for people to show their wealth and power in society.
During the 19th century, the way portraits were painted changed. This was partly because of the invention of photography. It became less important to record exactly what the person looked. It was also less important to show their wealth and power. Instead, it has become popular to show the personality of the people in portraits.