The construction of likeness in some contemporary high portrait painting
Date
2016-08-22
Authors
Brenner, Joni
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Abstract
Likeness is a central issue to the tradition of portrait painting. This dissertation
examines the notion of likeness in some contemporary high portrait painting. Likeness
is viewed as constructed socially through the complex relations between artist, sitter
and viewer.
Faced with the problematic notions of realism and naturalism and their philosophical
ramifications, the dissertation confronts the question of What in our world can be
regarded as natural or given, and what is constructed or acquired. The discussion,
framed by the debate set up between Nelson Goodman and E.H. Gombrich, leads to
the conclusion that the 'natural' and the 'real' are not neutral, they are highly
constructed. The dIfferences between various conventions; various ways of
representing others, are extrapolated from the debate, and once acknowledged. the
final position taken is a less linear conventionalist stance.
The constructed nature of likeness is tested against the portraits by American artist,
Andy Warhol and British artist. Lucian Freud, contemporary painters working in
direct antithesis to one another. The aim is to show that both of their portrait
likenesses. whether private or public, painterly Or mechanical, are embedded within
socially constructed conventions. Recognition of 'the conventions can guide the viewer
in deconstructing the work and locating the meaning.
I discuss my own work in relation to the contents of this dissertation.
Description
A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Arts. University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the Degree of Master of Arts in Fine Arts.
Johannesburg 1996