Learning to Look

The ten Elements of Portrayal provide the foundation by which we engage with art at the Portrait Gallery. Brought together, they help tell the story of the sitter or sitters in a portrait.  

Look at the painting of E.O. Wilson by Jennie Summerall. Spend thirty seconds letting your eyes wander from top to bottom, side to side, and all around the portrait.

Facial expression

The look or perceived movement of the muscles on someone’s face. The facial expression can help identify the sitter’s emotion(s) and provide us with clues about their thoughts and feelings.

What emotions do you see in E. O. Wilson’s face? How do you think he feels about having bugs crawling around—and even on—him?

Pose

The way a sitter’s body is positioned helps us understand what the artist is trying to tell us about the subject. Some people might want to run away from so many bugs, but Wilson holds still. How is he posed? Why do you think he is kneeling down?

Clothing

Apparel may tell us about who a person is, their occupation, their personality, their economic or social status, or the era in which they lived. Notice Wilson’s rolled up sleeves and boots. What do you think he does for a living?

Hairstyle

The way a sitter wears their hair, including the color and style can offer hints about their age and when they may have lived. How old do you think Wilson is here? What do you see that makes you say so?

Setting
The surroundings or place in which a portrait is located. Real or imagined, the setting can provide context or hints about a sitter’s story. Imagine you could jump into this setting. Would it be warm or cold? Would the air feel humid or dry? Notice the sunlight around him and the bright colors of green in the plants. Why do you think the artist painted Wilson in nature, instead of in a laboratory or in an office?

Objects

Objects often function as clues that provide information about the sitter. They can help us discern the sitter’s profession, their accomplishments, or highlight other aspects of a sitter’s story. In this portrait, the clues are bugs. Why do you think the artist included so many species?

Observe the ant crawling on Wilson’s finger. Why do you think the artist included that detail? How does it affect your interpretation of the portrait as a whole?

Color

Various hues can set the tone, mood, or overall feeling. Color can help the artist convey their message about the sitter. Why do you think the artist, Jennie Summerall, chose such vibrant colors to portray Wilson?

Medium

The materials used to create a piece of art. Some popular media for portraiture include painting, charcoal, clay, wood, marble, photography, and video. What materials do you think were used to create this portrait? And why might the type of materials used be important?

Scale

The relative size of extent of something. The size of the portrait or the size of the sitter within the portrait (how much space they take up) can often influence the way in which we perceive the sitter. Consider the size of the portrait, which is almost five feet tall by almost four feet wide! Look at the scale of the bugs and how much bigger they appear on the portrait than in real life.

Artistic style

The personal technique(s) and medium that an artist uses to create a portrait. Often, the artist’s style can give us clues about who the sitter is or when the portrait was created. Why do you think Summerall created a realistic portrait of Wilson?

Since his childhood, E. O. Wilson wanted to be an entomologist, or a scientist who studies insects. He wrote, “Most children have a bug period. I never grew out of mine.” He has dedicated his life to studying ants and the connection between human and ant behavior.



A childhood accident left Wilson blind in one eye, which led him to observe things from up close. He said, “Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece.” Artist Jennie Summerall posed Wilson in a setting reminiscent of the landscape on Lignum Vitae Key in Florida, which Wilson helped preserve.