Portraits and persons: a philosophical inquiry

Portraits have for centuries been one of the most important art forms. But what do portraits tell us? What do they mean? And what makes a picture into a portrait?In this book, leading art philosopher Cynthia Freeland addresses these questions and more. As she shows, portraits have served two fundamental functions throughout the ages. Firstly, they preserve identity, bringing us closer to loved ones who are either absent or dead. And secondly, they tell us something about the subject being portrayed: not just external things such as what they are wearing, but also about the subject's emotions a. Read more... Contents; List of Illustrations; Introduction; 1. Animals; 2. Contact; 3. Individuality; 4. Expression; 5. Self-Knowledge; 6. Intimacy; 7. The Fallen Self; Epilogue; Further Reading; Notes; Index