Charisma is a well seen attribute of men and women who have given to this world a gift worth giving. The strict facial characteristics of a general, the relaxed look of an actress or a pondering expression of an inspiring inventor may very well have an effect on our subconscious long after they have passed and are no longer living. Need not forget that only a portrait of their personality could save the real essence of their being. To capture what was once said or to make a character look on canvas as though he or she is pronouncing sound is called a speaking portrait. Bust, profile or a three quarter views refer to the contents included and exactly what is being depicted about the main subject of importance in the portrait. A successfully executed homage in the form of a portrait to a historically known figure could perhaps even evoke an illusive feeling of them being in the same room as the viewer. Perhaps the most complicated aspect of such portrait painting process is the backdrop, and only through a set of uniquely refined artistic skills is the artist able to recreate an evenly appropriate and perfect surroundings that go along with its figure.

Art Talk by: Alexander Antonyuk II

Art as an example of a talking portrait: “The Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675).