Editing Portrait (section)

== History ==
=== Prehistorical portraiture ===
{{see also|Prehistoric art}}
[[File:Plastered Skull, c. 9000 BC.jpg|thumb|[[Plastered skull]], [[Baysamun]], [[Pre-Pottery Neolithic B]], {{circa|9000 BC}}]]
[[Plastered human skulls]] were reconstructed human skulls that were made in the ancient [[Levant]] between 9000 and 6000 BC in the [[Pre-Pottery Neolithic B]] period. They represent some of the oldest forms of art in the [[Middle East]] and demonstrate that the prehistoric population took great care in burying their [[ancestor]]s below their homes. The skulls denote some of the earliest sculptural examples of portraiture in the [[history of art]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kleiner |first1=Fred S. |title=Gardner's Art through the Ages: Backpack Edition |date=2012 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=9780840030542 |page=42 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=neEzEpyuZ3AC&pg=PT42 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Historical portraiture ===
{{main|Portrait painting}}
[[File:Fayum02.jpg|thumb|upright=.7|left|Roman-Egyptian [[Fayum mummy portraits|funeral portrait]] of a young boy]]
Most early representations that are clearly intended to show an individual are of rulers, and tend to follow idealizing artistic conventions, rather than the individual features of the subject's body, although when there is no other evidence as to the ruler's appearance the degree of idealization may be hard to assess. Nonetheless, many subjects, such as [[Akhenaten]] and some other Egyptian [[pharaoh|kings]], may be recognised by their distinctive features. The 28 surviving rather small [[statues of Gudea]], ruler of [[Lagash]] in [[Sumeria|Sumer]] between {{circa|2144}}&ndash;2124 BC, show a consistent appearance with some individuality, although it is sometimes disputed that these count as portraits.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Winter |first1=Irene |title=What/When is a portrait? |journal=Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society |date=2009 |volume=153}}</ref>

Some of the earliest surviving painted portraits of people who were not rulers are the Greco-Roman [[Fayum mummy portraits|funeral portraits]] that survived in the dry climate of Egypt's [[Faiyum]] district. These are almost the only paintings from the classical world that have survived, apart from [[fresco]]s, although many sculptures and portraits on coins have fared better. Although the appearance of the figures differs considerably, they are considerably idealized, and all show relatively young people, making it uncertain whether they were painted from life.

[[File:MochePortrait.jpg|thumb|[[Moche culture|Moche]] ceramic portrait. [[Larco Museum]] Collection. Lima-Peru]] The art of the portrait flourished in Ancient Greek and especially [[Roman sculpture]], where sitters demanded individualized and realistic portraits, even unflattering ones. During the fourth century, the portrait began to retreat in favor of an idealized symbol of what that person looked like. (Compare the portraits of Roman Emperors [[Constantine the Great|Constantine I]] and [[Theodosius I]] at their entries.) In the [[Europe]] of the [[Early Middle Ages]] representations of individuals are mostly generalized. True portraits of the outward appearance of individuals re-emerged in the late [[Middle Ages]], in [[tomb monument]]s, [[donor portrait]]s, miniatures in [[illuminated manuscript]]s, and then [[panel painting]]s.

[[Moche (culture)|Moche]] culture of Peru was one of the few ancient civilizations which produced portraits. These works accurately represent anatomical features in great detail. The individuals portrayed would have been recognizable without the need for other symbols or a written reference to their names. The individuals portrayed were members of the ruling elite, priests, warriors, and even distinguished artisans.<ref>Donnan, Christopher B. ''Moche Portraits from Ancient Peru'' University of Texas Press, 2004. {{ISBN|0-292-71622-2}}.</ref> They were represented during several stages of their lives. The faces of deities were also depicted. There is particular emphasis on the representation of the details of headdresses, hairstyles, body adornment, and face painting.

One of the best-known portraits in the Western world is [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s painting entitled ''[[Mona Lisa]]'', which is a painting of [[Lisa del Giocondo]]. What has been claimed as the world's oldest known portrait was found in 2006 in the [[Vilhonneur]] grotto near [[Angoulême]] and is thought to be 27,000 years old.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2006/jun/06/art | location=London |work=[[The Guardian]]| first=Jonathan | last=Jones | title=Old masters | date=6 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cave face 'the oldest portrait on record' |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2211142,00.html|work=[[The Times]]|date=5 June 2006 |access-date=2008-01-04 |location=London |first=Adam |last=Sage |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724131845/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2211142,00.html |archive-date=July 24, 2008 }}</ref>