Description
The Obama portraits unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in 2018 elicited praise, disappointment, and bafflement – for example, why is he against a leafy background and her skin a neutral grey? In this talk, we’ll look at portraiture through history, and consider what makes a portrait better than just good. Is it the artist’s distinctive style or interpretation of the sitter’s status or personality? Are the best portraits those that reveal moral or psychological depth and complexity? And, how do the Obama portraits compare?
