Portraiture is one of the oldest forms of art making that is often used as a tool for study of the human body or the self. Portraits of people and self-portraits of artists have frequently been used as a steady part of an artist’s education

A person creating a portrait can capture a moment in time in a way that is unique and special to their own individual eye. Through portraits, stories can be told, and memories can be shared so that generations will recognize the time from which they came and can therefore better understand that moment in history.

In this exhibition portraits from the School of Art Collection and from private collections explore the artists use of the portrait to share idealized versions of important people; to make a political statement; and as a way of self-expression.