Historically portraits were painted of wealthy or powerful individuals like Kings or Presidents. Artists would create self-portraits as well. More Modern portraits include those who are famous to pop culture. Portraits can be paintings, drawings or sculptures. Styles vary as well. Compare and contrast two portraits in this collection.
George Washington, Gilbert Stuart, 1797, From the collection of: The White House
Our First President
Maria II, Queen of Portugal, Sir Thomas Lawrence (Bristol, 1769-London, 1830), and completed by a studio assistant?, 1829/1831, From the collection of: National Palace of Queluz
Large Self-Portrait, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1652, From the collection of: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
Self-Portrait, Vincent van Gogh, 1889, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Nihonbashi Shōri, from the series New Portraits, Artist: Natori Shunsen, Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo, 1915, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
One of Four Portraits of Horses - a Chestnut Racehorse with Jockey Up: walking to the left; jockey in buff-yellow jacket, Attributed to James Seymour, 1702–1752, British, ca. 1730, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art
Self Portraits (9), Amrita Sher-Gil, 1930, From the collection of: National Gallery of Modern Art
Dolley Payne Madison (Mrs. James Madison), Gilbert Stuart, 1804, From the collection of: The White House
Dom Pedro, Duke of Bragança, John Philip Simpson (Enfield, 1782-London, 1847), 1834/1837, From the collection of: National Palace of Queluz
Private Portrait of a Man, Roman, ca. 140-150 (early Antonine), From the collection of: The Walters Art Museum
Head of Emperor Caligula, about 40, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533, From the collection of: The National Gallery, London
Mrs Humphrey Devereux, John Singleton Copley, 1771, From the collection of: Te Papa
Mary Cassatt Self-Portrait, Mary Stevenson Cassatt, circa 1880, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Elvis Presley, Ralph Wolfe Cowan, 1976/1988, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Ronald Reagan, Henry C. Casselli, Jr., 1989, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Abraham Lincoln, George Peter Alexander Healy, 1887, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Henry Ford, Hans Wollner, 1963 cast after 1937 original, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Credits: All media
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The National Gallery, London
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
National Palace of Queluz
The J. Paul Getty Museum
Yale Center for British Art
Te Papa
Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
National Gallery of Modern Art
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
The White House
The Walters Art Museum