--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best portraits are perhaps those in…" description: "\"The best portraits are perhaps those in which there is a slight mixture of caricature; and we are not certain that the best histories are not those in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_accuracy_the-best-portraits-are-perhaps-those-in_2456540.png" --- # The best portraits are perhaps those in which there is a… ![“The best portraits are perhaps those in which there is a slight mixture of caricature; and we are not certain that the best histories are not those in which a little of the exaggeration of fictitious narrative is judiciously employed. Something is lost in accuracy; but much is gained in effect…” quote by Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_accuracy_the-best-portraits-are-perhaps-those-in_2456540.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_accuracy_the-best-portraits-are-perhaps-those-in_2456540.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_accuracy_the-best-portraits-are-perhaps-those-in_2456540.png) > “The best portraits are perhaps those in which there is a slight mixture of caricature; and we are not certain that the best histories are not those in which a little of the exaggeration of fictitious narrative is judiciously employed. Something is lost in accuracy; but much is gained in effect. The fainter lines are neglected; but the great characteristic features are imprinted on the mind forever.” [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exaggeration in portraits and histories can enhance memorability, though it sacrifices strict accuracy. **In simple terms:** Emphasis over exactness. Key Takeaway Balance vividness with factual integrity. Themes art history memory Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - teaching - museum curation - writing - public speaking Key Concepts narrative theory representation truth Questions to Reflect On - When is artistic license justified? - How can we preserve truth while engaging audiences? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis may distort essential facts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accuracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accuracy/) [Best history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-history-18791/) [Best Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-portraits-613951/) [Caricature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caricature/) [Caricature Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caricature-certain-613952/) [Caricatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caricatures/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Characteristics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Employed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employed/) [Exaggeration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exaggeration/) [Features](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/features/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Great character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-character/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mixtures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mixtures/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Neglected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglected/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits/) [Portraits Slight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits-slight-613953/) ## Related quotes > [The best portraits are those in which there is a slight mixture of caricature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-portraits-are-those-in-which-there-is-a-slight-mixture-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our best history is still poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/our-best-history-is-still-poetry/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The best history is but like the art of Rembrandt; it casts a vivid light on certain selected causes, on those which were best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-bagehot/the-best-history-is-but-like-the-art-of-rembrandt-it-casts-a-vivid/) [Walter Bagehot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-bagehot/) > [Is Best 9 in history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronaldo-brazil/is-best-9-in-history/) [Ronaldo Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronaldo-brazil/) > [I joined a gym recently. I don't have the best history in the world of sticking with my fitness regimens, but I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-finnegan/i-joined-a-gym-recently-i-don-t-have-the-best-history-in-the-world-of/) [Christian Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-finnegan/) > [Of course, people will be partial, but I put myself among the best in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-aldo/of-course-people-will-be-partial-but-i-put-myself-among-the-best-in/) [Jose Aldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-aldo/) > [Since I was a kid. I had this series by Ballantine Books about the history of World Wars I and II. In my 20s,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/since-i-was-a-kid-i-had-this-series-by-ballantine-books-about-the/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Bob marley best in history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bob-marley-best-in-history/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are lots of people who believe that caricature of me the tabloids created, so they think they don't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/there-are-lots-of-people-who-believe-that-caricature-of-me-the/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Every president becomes a caricature. The press, partisans, late-night shows, and other arbiters of our culture these days boil down complicated and multi-faceted personalities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/every-president-becomes-a-caricature-the-press-partisans-late-night/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I'm not like a persona. I'm not a caricature of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-m-not-like-a-persona-i-m-not-a-caricature-of-myself/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [The problem is that rap is so often a caricature of its own image. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Caricature is rough truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/caricature-is-rough-truth/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) ## More by Thomas B. Macaulay > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [We must judge a government by its general tendencies and not by its happy accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/we-must-judge-a-government-by-its-general-tendencies-and-not-by-its/) [Thomas B. 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Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Ambrose Phillips . . . who had the honor of bringing into fashion a species of composition which has been called, after his name, Namby Pamby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/ambrose-phillips-who-had-the-honor-of-bringing-into-fashion-a-species/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [In the infancy of civilization, when our island was as savage as New Guinea, when letters and arts were still unknown to Athens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/in-the-infancy-of-civilization-when-our-island-was-as-savage-as-new/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [In truth it may be laid down as an almost universal rule that good poets are bad critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/in-truth-it-may-be-laid-down-as-an-almost-universal-rule-that-good/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [He had a head which statuaries loved to copy, and a foot the deformity of which the beggars in the streets mimicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/he-had-a-head-which-statuaries-loved-to-copy-and-a-foot-the-deformity/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The Spartan, smiting and spurning the wretched Helot, moves our disgust. But the same Spartan, calmly dressing his hair, and uttering his concise jests,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/the-spartan-smiting-and-spurning-the-wretched-helot-moves-our-disgust/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) [Explore all 193 Thomas B. Macaulay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) ## More Accuracy quotes > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. 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Because of the way he bowls, he will not blow batsmen away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-agnew/what-we-have-learned-is-that-roland-jones-is-a-very-promising/) [Jonathan Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-agnew/) [Browse all 388 Accuracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accuracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best portraits are perhaps those in which there is a slight mixture of caricature; and we are not certain that the best histories are not those in which a little of the exaggeration of fictitious narrative is judiciously employed. Something is lost in accuracy; but much is gained in effect. The fainter lines are neglected; but the great characteristic features are imprinted on the mind forever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas B. 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