Being cool Quote by David Kassan
“I sort of feel that the role of a portrait in society is to represent the sitters, we see paintings of Shakespeare and we believe that it is what he looked like, well maybe a little older, fatter and with a higher hairline. I guess it would be cool if the portraits that were painted really did look like the sitter or expressed some sort of emotion that gave the viewers in the future a sense of the sitter's pathos at the time it was painted.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Portraiture and Identity, 2015
Portraits aim to capture not just likeness but the sitter’s emotional essence, influencing how future viewers perceive them.
In simple terms: Portraits should convey both appearance and feeling.
Key Takeaway
Seek depth beyond surface.
Themes
art
representation
history
Mood
contemplative
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- museum curation
- historical research
- art education
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
identity
empathy
visual narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- How can artists balance realism with emotional truth?
- What responsibilities do portraitists have to future audiences?
A Different Perspective
Ideal accuracy may be impossible due to artistic interpretation.
