Portraits

Artists have been producing portraits for thousands of years. Whether used to preserve precious memories or to exalt the power of monarchs, portraiture has been popular in many cultures from across many time periods. LACMA’s own collection includes excellent examples. From an ancient Egyptian funerary portrait, to a Picasso’s Blue Period portrait of a close friend, to an affectionate portrait of an American mother and her son, these art works exemplify the best of the genre, capturing not only physical likenesses, but glimpses into their subjects’ personalities and inner lives.