Successful Portrait: Proof of Presence

The second element of a successful portrait is the “proof of presence,” the image’s ability to convey that the sitter exists (or existed) in real life, as an individual, and sometimes as a ‘stand-in’ for the actual person.

This factor is very important for leaders or rulers – to display the ever-present control and ability to rule over a group of people. The portrait must carry specific and explicit meanings to connect and communicate with the audience.

Watch this video about the 18^th century French Queen, Marie Antoinette’s portrait by Vigée-Lebrun, Marie Antoinette and Her Children (1787).