Beyond the Surface: Capturing Meaning Through Portraiture

How do portraits influence our perception of their sitters? What do they communicate about their values and role in society? For centuries portraiture has been a fundamental form of art in the western world. From images of kings and queens to allegorical figures that embody moral values and convey symbolic meaning, portraits document social and political structures of times past. They tell stories, not only of the people represented, but also of their historical context, and of their unique function as objects.

This exhibition brings together a selection of paintings and sculptures by European and American artists from the 16th to the early 20th century. The grouping shows the evolution of artistic styles and techniques, and the historical significance of physical attributes to convey status, wealth, faith, and power. Beyond the obvious visual indicators of social position, these artworks played an important role communicating information about the sitter, reinforcing social or moral values, and shaping perspectives about contemporary society.

Exhibition Tour

April 4 | 11am Join Fred Hicks Curatorial Fellow, Stella Morris, for a tour of selections in Beyond the Surface: Capturing Meaning Through Portraiture continuing at the Museum through May 11, 2025.

Image: William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916), Young Woman With Red Flowers, 1904, Oil on canvas, 24 x 17 3/4 in., Gift of Gertrude Lundberg Richards, 1967.19