Abstract portraiture is no modern
phenomenon. In fact, it is the
oldest form of representation we
have. From the earliest cave
paintings and throughout the
story of art, artists have relied
more upon powerful signs and
symbols to evoke the living
presence of a person than
an accurate representation of
their appearanceT
here’s a good story
about Abraham Lincoln
told by Francis Bicknell
Carpenter, the hack
American portraitist
who painted the famous First Reading
of the Emancipation Proclamation. This
important picture hangs in the Capitol
and shows Honest Abe seeking to abolish
slavery. To prepare for it, Carpenter spent
six months hanging out with the presi-
dent. One day, during an adjournment in
the Baltimore Convention, Lincoln was
introduced to a young enthusiast from
Philadelphia who had recently painted
a “beautiful portrait” of him which was
on show in the state rooms. “I presume,By WALDEMAR
JANUSZCZAKsir, in painting your beautiful portrait,”
retorted Lincoln, “you took your idea of
me from my principles, and not from my
person.” Cue hearty guaws all round.
What Lincoln—who knew a lot about
many things, but not much about art—
would not have realised is that in dis-
playing this trademark modesty about
his appearance he was hitting an import-
ant aesthetic nail bang on the bonce. In
some small corners of its kingdom, por-
traiture is concerned only with capturing
a likeness, but that is a lowly ambition,
and good artists aim higher. For good
artists, you need also to evoke the larger
presence of your sitter: their character;
their soul; their big picture. MUSEE PICASSO, PARIS, FRANCE/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES
SUCCESSION PICASSO/DACS, LONDON 2019 STILL LIFE WITH PEDESTAL TABLENATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY COCHRANE BY HOWARD HODGKIN; ©THE ESTATE OF JACK SMITH, COURTESY OF FLOWERS GALLERY COMPOSER BY JACKVANITY FAIR ON ART NOVEMBER 2019See Me
Now You
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